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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The death of Norman Brinker of Dallas on June 9, |
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2009, at the age of 78, has deeply saddened the family and many |
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friends of this restaurant industry icon and civic leader; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Denver, Mr. Brinker was born to Kathryn |
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and Eugene Brinker on June 3, 1931; he grew up on a farm in Roswell, |
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New Mexico, where he demonstrated his entrepreneurial spirit at an |
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early age, raising rabbits and delivering newspapers; he paid his |
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own tuition at the New Mexico Military Institute and went on to |
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serve his country in the United States Navy for two years; during |
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that time, he was selected by the 1952 U.S. Olympic Equestrian Team |
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and competed in the 1954 Modern Pentathlon World Championships in |
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Budapest, Hungary; he married the tennis legend Maureen "Little Mo" |
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Connolly in June 1955 and they shared 14 years together before her |
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untimely passing; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Brinker earned a bachelor's degree in marketing |
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from San Diego State University in 1957 and joined Jack-in-the-Box, |
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eventually becoming a major partner and helping it expand from five |
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locations into a national chain; after moving to Dallas in 1964, he |
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opened his first restaurant, Brink's Coffee Shop, and two years |
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later launched Steak & Ale, the restaurant that popularized the |
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salad bar concept; by the time the company went public in 1971, the |
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chain had grown to more than 100 restaurants; when it merged with |
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the Pillsbury Restaurant Group, Mr. Brinker became an executive |
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vice president and board member of that company and created the |
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Bennigan's Tavern concept, launching the "fern bar" trend; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1983, Mr. Brinker recognized the potential in |
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Chili's, Inc., a small restaurant company; building the parent |
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company up in his role as chief executive officer and board chair, |
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he took it public the next year; changing its name to Brinker |
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International in 1990, the company became a restaurant giant that |
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set standards for the casual dining industry; today, Brinker |
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International owns more than 1,700 restaurants and employs more |
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than 125,000 people in 27 countries and two territories through its |
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three chains, Chili's Grill & Bar, Maggiano's Little Italy, and On |
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the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina; it also holds a stake in |
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Romano's Macaroni Grill; Mr. Brinker retired in 2001, but he |
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remained active as chair emeritus; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his remarkable career, Mr. Brinker |
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exerted tremendous influence on the dining industry through his |
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mentorship of young restaurateurs; a role model and mentor to |
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innumerable people, he impressed on each employee his philosophy of |
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customer service by treating everyone with respect and |
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consideration and taking every opportunity to make others feel |
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special; many major restaurant companies can count Brinker alumni |
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among their past and present leadership, and his myriad protégés |
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included the founders of Outback Steakhouse and Houston's; leaders |
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in other industries from real estate to finance also count him as an |
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inspiration; and |
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WHEREAS, This influential entrepreneur gave generously of |
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his time, talent, and financial resources to a wide variety of civic |
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and charitable organizations; a longtime member of the Young |
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Presidents' Organization and the World Presidents' Organization, he |
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provided guidance and funding to assist his former wife, Nancy |
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Brinker, in establishing Susan G. Komen for the Cure and continued |
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to serve as an advisor; he joined with his wife, Toni Brinker, to |
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help found the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts and to organize |
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and support the Brinker International Forum; the couple also |
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supported such organizations as the Salvation Army and the Ruth |
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Sharp Altshuler Circle of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of |
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United Way of Metropolitan Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, Having brought his favorite sport to North Texas |
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with the opening of the Willow Bend Polo & Hunt Club in 1972, |
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Mr. Brinker won the United States Polo Association Gold Cup and the |
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U.S. Open polo competition and continued to support American polo |
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through the years, serving as chair of the United States Polo |
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Association and winning membership in the Polo Hall of Fame; his |
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numerous accolades included the Horatio Alger Award, the Elliot |
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Mentor Award from the Elliot Leadership Conference, the Augie Award |
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from the Culinary Institute of America, and membership in the |
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Culinary Institute of America Hall of Fame; he won both the Pioneer |
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Award and the Operator of the Year Award from Nation's Restaurant |
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News and was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Southern Methodist |
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University; in May 2009, he accepted the prestigious Robert |
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S. Folsom Leadership Award from the Methodist Health System |
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Foundation in Dallas; and |
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WHEREAS, Norman Brinker not only left an indelible mark on |
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the restaurant industry, but he made a positive impact in countless |
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lives through both his professional leadership and his personal |
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example of generosity, integrity, and compassion; although he will |
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be profoundly missed, this extraordinary Texan will long be |
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remembered with the greatest affection and admiration by all who |
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were privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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Norman Brinker and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his devoted wife, Toni Brinker; to his daughters, Cindy |
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Brinker Simmons, Brenda Brinker Bottum and her husband, Steve, and |
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Christina Brinker-Aschtgen and her husband, Chad; to his sons, Eric |
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Brinker, Mark Brinker, and Bryan Clark and his wife, Kristin; to his |
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six grandchildren, William Simmons, Connor Bottum, Connolly |
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Bottum, Caleb Brinker-Aschtgen, Emma Brinker-Aschtgen, and Devin |
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Clark; to his cousin, Barbara Brock; and to his other relatives and |
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host of friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Norman |
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Brinker. |