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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Yolanda Garcia Olivarez of Corpus Christi is |
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receiving a 2009 Sor Juana Women of Achievement award from the |
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National Museum of Mexican Art, the largest Latino arts institution |
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in the country; and |
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WHEREAS, The Sor Juana Women of Achievement awards were |
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established by the NMMA in 1998 to recognize women of Mexican |
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descent who have contributed to their communities through the arts, |
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academia, volunteer work, or civic or professional leadership; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Olivarez, a senior vice president of Wells Fargo |
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Bank, has distinguished herself as both a finance professional and |
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a community leader; before joining Wells Fargo in 1995, she built |
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her career in commercial banking with such companies as MBank, |
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Corpus Christi National Bank, and NationsBank; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2001, Ms. Olivarez became the first woman and |
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first Hispanic elected as chair of the Port of Corpus Christi |
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Authority; she was first appointed to the port commission in 1997 |
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and served until January 2009; during her tenure, the port |
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experienced dramatic commercial diversification, and she played a |
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key role in the establishment of the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation |
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and in numerous other important initiatives, among them the |
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construction of a loop rail track around the bulk terminal, of the |
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Congressman Solomon Ortiz International Center, and of the Gulf |
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Compress La Quinta Division, facilitation of the federal assumption |
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of the Rincon Canal and the sale of land to the City of Corpus |
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Christi for Whataburger Field and the development of adjacent |
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property for public parking, and development of master plans for |
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the waterfront in the Inner Harbor and port properties on Harbor |
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Island and La Quinta; and |
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WHEREAS, Moreover, Ms. Olivarez was instrumental in the |
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development of the Joe Fulton International Trade Corridor, the |
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cold storage warehouse, and the La Quinta Trade Gateway Project, in |
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the leasing of the Corpus Christi Public Elevator to Archer Daniels |
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Midland Company, in obtaining federal designation as a strategic |
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military port, in creating the port's police department, in |
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commencing trade with Cuba, and in the planning and permitting for |
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port channel improvement projects; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan has given generously of her time |
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and talents to myriad civic and community organizations through the |
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years; since 1995, she has served as treasurer of the Corpus Christi |
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Community Development Corporation, which she helped create; the |
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organization has built more than 130 homes for first-time buyers |
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using community block grant funds; Ms. Olivarez has served as a |
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member of the board of the Del Mar College Foundation, and she |
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served as chair of the Corpus Christi American Heart Association |
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for more than three years; the recipient of numerous accolades, she |
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was inducted into the Del Mar College Wall of Honor in 2005 and has |
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been named Businesswoman of the Year by the Young Women's Christian |
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Association, the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas, and several |
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other organizations; and |
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WHEREAS, Through her dedication to her community and her |
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professional accomplishments, Yolanda Olivarez has demonstrated a |
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commitment to excellence and has served as an inspiring role model |
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for many; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Yolanda Garcia Olivarez on |
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receiving a 2009 Sor Juana Women of Achievement award from the |
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National Museum of Mexican Art and extend to her best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Olivarez as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |