| H.R. No. 1159 | ||
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| WHEREAS, Yolanda Garcia Olivarez of Corpus Christi is | ||
| receiving a 2009 Sor Juana Women of Achievement award from the | ||
| National Museum of Mexican Art, the largest Latino arts institution | ||
| in the country; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Sor Juana Women of Achievement awards were | ||
| established by the NMMA in 1998 to recognize women of Mexican | ||
| descent who have contributed to their communities through the arts, | ||
| academia, volunteer work, or civic or professional leadership; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Ms. Olivarez, a senior vice president of Wells Fargo | ||
| Bank, has distinguished herself as both a finance professional and | ||
| a community leader; before joining Wells Fargo in 1995, she built | ||
| her career in commercial banking with such companies as MBank, | ||
| Corpus Christi National Bank, and NationsBank; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In 2001, Ms. Olivarez became the first woman and | ||
| first Hispanic elected as chair of the Port of Corpus Christi | ||
| Authority; she was first appointed to the port commission in 1997 | ||
| and served until January 2009; during her tenure, the port | ||
| experienced dramatic commercial diversification, and she played a | ||
| key role in the establishment of the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation | ||
| and in numerous other important initiatives, among them the | ||
| construction of a loop rail track around the bulk terminal, of the | ||
| Congressman Solomon Ortiz International Center, and of the Gulf | ||
| Compress La Quinta Division, facilitation of the federal assumption | ||
| of the Rincon Canal and the sale of land to the City of Corpus | ||
| Christi for Whataburger Field and the development of adjacent | ||
| property for public parking, and development of master plans for | ||
| the waterfront in the Inner Harbor and port properties on Harbor | ||
| Island and La Quinta; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Moreover, Ms. Olivarez was instrumental in the | ||
| development of the Joe Fulton International Trade Corridor, the | ||
| cold storage warehouse, and the La Quinta Trade Gateway Project, in | ||
| the leasing of the Corpus Christi Public Elevator to Archer Daniels | ||
| Midland Company, in obtaining federal designation as a strategic | ||
| military port, in creating the port's police department, in | ||
| commencing trade with Cuba, and in the planning and permitting for | ||
| port channel improvement projects; and | ||
| WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan has given generously of her time | ||
| and talents to myriad civic and community organizations through the | ||
| years; since 1995, she has served as treasurer of the Corpus Christi | ||
| Community Development Corporation, which she helped create; the | ||
| organization has built more than 130 homes for first-time buyers | ||
| using community block grant funds; Ms. Olivarez has served as a | ||
| member of the board of the Del Mar College Foundation, and she | ||
| served as chair of the Corpus Christi American Heart Association | ||
| for more than three years; the recipient of numerous accolades, she | ||
| was inducted into the Del Mar College Wall of Honor in 2005 and has | ||
| been named Businesswoman of the Year by the Young Women's Christian | ||
| Association, the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas, and several | ||
| other organizations; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Through her dedication to her community and her | ||
| professional accomplishments, Yolanda Olivarez has demonstrated a | ||
| commitment to excellence and has served as an inspiring role model | ||
| for many; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby congratulate Yolanda Garcia Olivarez on | ||
| receiving a 2009 Sor Juana Women of Achievement award from the | ||
| National Museum of Mexican Art and extend to her best wishes for | ||
| continued success; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for Ms. Olivarez as an expression of high regard by the | ||
| Texas House of Representatives. | ||
| Herrero | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 1159 was adopted by the House on April | ||
| 23, 2009, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||