H.R. No. 2989

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The residents of Georgetown lost one of their most beloved neighbors and admired community leaders with the passing of James Lowell Shield II on September 27, 2006; and

WHEREAS, Raised in Dallas, Jim Shield attended W. T. White High School and earned his bachelor's degree in finance from The University of Texas and his master's degree from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Shield became a prominent figure in the Texas banking industry, and he was highly regarded for his talent in team building, strategic planning, and financial analysis; his leadership benefited several different institutions, and he was a key figure in the founding of the Regions Bank franchise and served as its president and chief executive officer since 2000; and

WHEREAS, A leader within the business community, Jim Shield was a member of the Georgetown, Round Rock, and Greater Austin Chambers of Commerce, the Real Estate Council of Austin, and the Texas Bankers Association; in addition, he served as chairman of the board for the Austin Chamber of the Northwest Business Council; and

WHEREAS, For more than a decade, Jim Shield lent his time and considerable expertise to the American Heart Association; at the national level, he was the secretary-treasurer and chair of the Budget Review Committee, and at the state level he was a board member and former chair who raised a record-setting $25 million for the association; moreover, he served as chair of the AHA Capital Area Division board of directors and the Central Texas Heartwalk, and he was a member of the Strategic Initiatives Task Force that outlined the organization's role in the 21st century; he and his wife, Jenni, launched a successful effort to place automated external defibrillators in first-responder vehicles in Williamson County, which positively impacted the safety of their fellow citizens; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Shield served the youth of the State of Texas in myriad ways; he was a member of the board of the YMCA of Greater Williamson County, the Austin Metropolitan YMCA, and the Methodist Children's Home of Waco, and he chaired the Partner of Youth Campaign; in addition, he and his wife were instrumental in the establishment of the Georgetown Circle of Friends, an organization that benefits the Dell Children's Medical Center; and

WHEREAS, A member of the First United Methodist Church of Georgetown, Mr. Shield served the congregation in a number of capacities, including co-chair of the stewardship committee and president of the Friendship Sunday School class, and he was a member of the Holy Conversations Strategic Planning Coordinating Committee, the administrative council, and the adult choir; and

WHEREAS, Those fortunate enough to have known Jim Shield will remember a man who championed health, who exemplified integrity and altruism, and who touched the lives of countless individuals with his intelligence and his caring nature; although his death has brought great sorrow to those who loved him, his life was an inspiring example of the good that one person can accomplish; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of James Lowell Shield II and offer sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his wife of 16 years, Jennifer Shield; to his children, Ryan Jeffrey and his wife, Holly, Callan Elizabeth, Hayley Meagan, and Jordan Kathleen; to his grandson, Tristen Robert Shield; to his sister, Barbara Stoneback; to his nephew, Matthew Stoneback; and to his other relatives and friends; 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 Jim Shield.

Gattis

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 2989 was adopted by the House on May 28, 2007, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House