78R15206 JHS-D

By:  Dukes                                                        H.R. No. 1270


R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The passing of noted scholar, teacher, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Dr. George Kozmetsky on April 30, 2003, at the age of 85, has left a void in the lives of the countless individuals who were privileged to know this exceptional man; and WHEREAS, Born in Seattle, Washington, on October 5, 1917, Dr. Kozmetsky was the son of Russian immigrants who came to the United States in search of freedom, prosperity, and a better way of life; he earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and, after dutifully serving in the Army Medical Corps during World War II, he continued his studies at Harvard University, earning his master's of business administration and doctoral degrees; and WHEREAS, A man of boundless energy and enthusiasm, Dr. Kozmetsky was a passionate and dedicated educator who began his teaching career in his home state and later held teaching positions at the University of Chicago and Carnegie Mellon University; the classroom, however, could not contain his curious nature, and he was compelled to venture into the business and industrial arenas in the 1950s, first with Hughes Aircraft Company and then with Litton Industries; and WHEREAS, In 1960 he cofounded Teledyne, Inc., and began a six-year tenure as executive vice president and driving force of that extremely successful business venture; with the achievement of many of his goals in the private sector, he sought a return to academia and in 1966 was named dean of the College and Graduate School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, a post he held and excelled in for 16 years, developing an innovative and demanding curriculum that redefined the modern business school; and WHEREAS, A desire to promote the growth of technology in the private sector led him to found IC2 Institute in 1982, an endeavor that helped usher Austin into the world of high technology and helped Dr. Kozmetsky become affectionately known as the grandfather of Austin's high tech industry; he also played a role in the establishment of the venerable Austin Technology Incubator and Texas Capital Networks; and WHEREAS, Dr. Kozmetsky was a dedicated philanthropist who created the RGK Foundation with his wife, Ronya, in 1966; through the years, the foundation distributed tens of millions of dollars to hundreds of nonprofit organizations; the foundation's philanthropic endeavors ranged from offering grants for students to rehabilitating areas ravaged by natural disasters; and WHEREAS, The remarkable achievements of Dr. Kozmetsky have had a profound effect on citizens of this community and, indeed, citizens throughout the world, and although his loss has been devastating to those who knew and loved him, his legacy of generosity and success will ensure that his memory is not soon forgotten; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Dr. George Kozmetsky and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Ronya Kozmetsky; to his daughter, Nadya Scott; to his son and daughter-in-law, Gregory and Cindy Kozmetsky; to his grandchildren, Aaron Kozmetsky and his wife, Tracey; Bethany Scott Herwegh and her husband, Christopher; Daniel Kozmetsky; M. Jordan Scott; George Taylor Scott; Sarah Kozmetsky; and Caitlin Scott; to his great-grandchildren, Jack, Will, Claire, and Mason; and to the many other relatives, friends, and colleagues of this esteemed gentleman; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dr. George Kozmetsky.