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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A businessman who has distinguished himself through |
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his inspiring leadership and visionary ideas, Drayton McLane has |
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built the Houston Astros into a thriving sports franchise that is |
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bringing great benefits to the city of Houston and the State of |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Beginning his 14th season in Major League Baseball, |
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Mr. McLane has transformed the Astros into an organization that has |
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enjoyed immense success, both in competition and as a business; the |
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Astros have advanced to the postseason six times in 13 seasons, |
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including three consecutive division titles from 1997 to 1999 and |
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the team's first World Series appearance in 2005; and |
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WHEREAS, Drayton McLane was instrumental in the effort to |
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build Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston, and the opening of the |
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Astros' new home in 2000 provided a boost of energy that has helped |
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spark additional development in the area; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. McLane has been a member of several MLB |
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committees, including the executive committee, the finance |
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committee, the legislative affairs committee, the ownership and |
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realignment committee, and the advanced media committee, and his |
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contributions to the continued growth and popularity of the sport |
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have earned him the respect of fellow owners; and |
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WHEREAS, Possessing expertise that extends far beyond the |
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sports world, Mr. McLane has long been a prominent member of the |
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Lone Star State's business community; he began his professional |
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career with the McLane Company, a grocery distribution center owned |
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by his family; under his leadership, the McLane Company has |
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experienced dramatic growth, becoming an international firm with 18 |
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divisions throughout the United States; today, the McLane Group |
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encompasses an array of business enterprises, including the Houston |
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Astros Baseball Club; and |
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WHEREAS, Active in the civic affairs of several Texas |
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communities, Mr. McLane is involved with the Cooper Institute in |
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Dallas, the Greater Houston Partnership, and the United Way; he |
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serves as chairman of the board of Scott & White Hospital and sits |
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on the board of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at |
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Texas A&M University; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. McLane is a past chairman of his undergraduate |
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alma mater, Baylor University, and an officer of the executive |
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committee of the Boy Scouts of America; notably, he received the |
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Distinguished Citizen Award and the Silver Buffalo from the Boy |
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Scouts of America in 2004; and |
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WHEREAS, The recipient of numerous other honors and |
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accolades, this esteemed leader holds an honorary doctorate from |
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Michigan State University, where he attended graduate school, and |
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has been inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame and the Texas |
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Baseball Hall of Fame; moreover, he earned the Distinguished |
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Leadership Award from Leadership Houston in 2002 and was named |
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Father of the Year in 2000 by the Houston Community Partners; and |
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WHEREAS, Devoted to his family and his faith, Mr. McLane |
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enjoys the love and support of his wife, Elizabeth, and his sons, |
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Drayton McLane III and Denton McLane; he remains an active member of |
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the First Baptist Church of Temple, where he teaches Sunday school |
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and serves as a deacon; and |
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WHEREAS, The contributions of Drayton McLane as a businessman |
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and community leader, as well as his decisive leadership of the |
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Houston Astros, continue to have a lasting and positive impact on |
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the citizens of Texas; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Drayton McLane for his many years of |
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service to his state and for giving Astros fans something to cheer |
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about; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. McLane as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Murphy |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1814 was adopted by the House on May |
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18, 2007, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |