SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 65 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize Jerry A. Besselman for his unstinting service and outstanding contributions as a firefighter to the City of Houston and to his state; and WHEREAS, Jerry has worked as a firefighter for the City of Houston Fire Department since 1969; in his daily routine as a firefighter, he has often had to respond to serious emergencies and make split-second decisions in the face of grave danger; and WHEREAS, Risking his life is an aspect of his dangerous work, and Jerry Besselman and Houston firefighters have earned the admiration and respect of their community for their dedication to making the community a safer place to live; and WHEREAS, Jerry donates his time to his fellow firefighters, serving as a trustee on the board of the Houston Firefighters' Relief and Retirement Fund; he helps oversee the 5,000-member organization and its $2 billion of assets, chairing the Personnel and Procedures Committee and serving as a member of the Investment Committee, the Legislative Committee, the Pension Benefits Committee, the Budget and Audit Committee, and the Memorial Fund Committee; and WHEREAS, He is also the secretary of the Dennis W. Holder Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to Houston firefighters' children and grandchildren; he serves as an active member of the National Conference of the Public Retirement Systems and the International Conference of Employee Benefit Plans; and WHEREAS, The City of Houston will lose an exemplary public servant when Jerry retires in January of 2006, and he deserves to be honored for his meritorious work for the Houston Fire Department; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 79th Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commend Jerry A. Besselman for his outstanding service and his invaluable commitment to public safety in the Houston community; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for him as an expression of high esteem from the Texas Senate. Whitmire ________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on July 12, 2005. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate