SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 362
	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to 
recognize the H-E-B stores of South Texas on the occasion of the 
100th birthday of H. E. Butt Grocery Company; and
	WHEREAS, The story of H-E-B began in 1905, when
Florence Butt founded the company; it was built into one of the 
world's most successful food retailers by her son, Howard E. Butt,
and his son, Charles Butt; and
	WHEREAS, H-E-B began its commitment to the Rio Grande Valley 
in 1928, when the company headquarters moved from Kerrville to 
Harlingen and the first valley store opened in Brownsville; and
	WHEREAS, The Rio Grande Valley continued to grow in 
importance as a focal point for H-E-B operations; the Harlingen 
Cannery Company opened in 1937, and its first product was 
grapefruit juice; the Silver Valley Bottling Plant was added to 
the Harlingen Cannery in 1949; and
	WHEREAS, Progress continued as air conditioning was 
installed in the H-E-B Brownsville Number One store in 1950, and 
a decade later, the H-E-B store in Falfurrias opened; and
	WHEREAS, H-E-B hosted the first Feast of Sharing dinners in 
McAllen, Brownsville, and Harlingen in 1980; today, H-E-B hosts 
23 Feast of Sharing dinners in Texas and Mexico in November and 
December, serving more than 210,000 people annually; and
	WHEREAS, H-E-B has continued to add to the economy of the 
Rio Grande Valley; in 2003, it opened a new $4 million, 
14,000-square-foot Transportation Terminal in Weslaco; in 2004, 
H-E-B introduced its new "H-E-B Plus" concept store in San Juan;


the 109,000-square-foot store provides customers with expanded 
product offerings and services; and
	WHEREAS, The Rio Grande Valley currently has H-E-B stores 
in Brownsville, McAllen, Edinburg, Mission, Harlingen, Palmview, 
Weslaco, Rio Grande City, Port Isabel, San Benito, Elsa, Alamo, 
Donna, Pharr, Mercedes, and San Juan; there are a total of nearly 
12,000 H-E-B partners in the Valley; and
	WHEREAS, H-E-B is highly respected as a retailer that 
promotes Texas produce and products and contributes to the ongoing 
economic development of the state through sales tax revenue, 
competitive employee wages and benefits, and a superior shopping 
experience; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 
79th Legislature, hereby commend H-E-B for its many contributions 
to the citizens of South Texas and extend best wishes to all on the 
occasion of the company's centennial; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 
H-E-B as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
                                                                           Lucio




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on March 10, 2005.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate