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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, After nearly three decades of outstanding public |
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service, Maria del Carmen Botello Gutierrez retired from the Texas |
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Department of Transportation on August 31, 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, Carmen Gutierrez was born in Laredo, but she |
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relocated to Del Rio at an early age; she joined the Del Rio |
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maintenance section of the Texas Department of Transportation in |
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October 1979, shortly after graduating from high school; from her |
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first position as a maintenance technician, Ms. Gutierrez was |
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promoted to positions of greater responsibility, and in 1993, she |
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became a district superintendent; by this time, she had also earned |
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an associate's degree in business management from Southwest Texas |
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Junior College, where she was president of the Alpha Omega Iota |
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chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1999, Ms. Gutierrez became the first female in |
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the agency's history to be appointed to district equipment |
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administrator, and in this role, she oversaw preventive maintenance |
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and equipment safety for eight counties; throughout her tenure, she |
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traveled across Texas representing the Laredo district and made |
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lasting contributions to TxDOT; she initiated preventive |
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maintenance campaigns to promote vehicle and operator safety, |
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launched a vehicle identification program that was later |
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incorporated into the TxDOT equipment operations manual, and |
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produced safety training videos; in addition, she helped develop a |
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hydraulic configuration for statewide use, and she was praised by |
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the occupational safety division for her role in designing a new |
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stepladder for trailers; she also introduced awards to recognize |
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the exemplary preventive maintenance efforts of individuals |
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working in various sections; despite her busy professional life, |
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Ms. Gutierrez enrolled in the agency's tuition assistance program |
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and graduated magna cum laude from Sul Ross State University in |
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2005, with a bachelor's degree in business administration; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has been affiliated with a |
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number of organizations, including the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce, |
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the Texas Public Employees Association, and the American Federation |
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of State, County, and Municipal Employees; she became certified as |
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a Texas purchaser and an election worker, and she completed the |
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Border Patrol Citizens Academy in 2008; moreover, she has served |
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her community as a volunteer with Safe Kids Val Verde County and the |
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Andale Del Rio community health fair, as a reading tutor, and as a |
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board member of the St. Henry de Osso Family Project, and she has |
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remained active in her church as a catechist and lector; in all of |
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her endeavors, she has enjoyed the love and support of her husband, |
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Ruben, and the couple's two children, Ruben James and Carmen |
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Christina; and |
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WHEREAS, Carmen Gutierrez demonstrated the utmost |
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professionalism and dedication throughout her career, and she may |
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indeed reflect with great pride on her achievements and on the |
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service she has rendered to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Maria del Carmen Botello Gutierrez on her |
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retirement from the Texas Department of Transportation and extend |
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to her sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Gutierrez as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |