81R30292 MG-D

By: Crownover H.R. No. 2034

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, M. Cass Wheeler retired as chief executive officer of the American Heart Association in 2008, concluding a distinguished tenure with the organization that spanned 35 years; and

WHEREAS, A native Texan, Cass Wheeler studied business at The University of Texas at Austin, and after graduation, he worked for the American Cancer Society and also as a stockbroker in Dallas; in 1973, Mr. Wheeler joined the Texas affiliate of the American Heart Association, where he became vice president for field operations and later executive vice president, and in 1982, he made the transition to the organization's National Center in Dallas as its chief operating officer; by 1996, he was named senior vice president for field operations, and the following year he took on the role of CEO; and

WHEREAS, Under the skilled leadership of Mr. Wheeler, the association merged its 56 state and metropolitan affiliates into eight regions, adopting a single corporate structure, and its revenue increased by $250 million; moreover, Mr. Wheeler oversaw several new initiatives, including the Go Red For Women campaign to raise awareness about heart disease, the Power to End Stroke targeted at African Americans, and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership with the William J. Clinton Foundation aimed at fighting childhood obesity; and

WHEREAS, Despite his busy professional life, Mr. Wheeler published the book, You've Gotta Have Heart: Achieving Purpose Beyond Profit in the Social Sector, and he was active on the boards of the National Human Services Assembly, the Partnership for Prevention, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the Independent Sector, and Research!America; in addition, he was a member of various committees for the American Society of Association Executives, a board chair of the National Health Council, and a co-convener of the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector, and he was appointed by former President Clinton to serve on the Commission on Improving Economic Opportunity in Communities Dependent on Tobacco Production While Protecting Public Health; and

WHEREAS, The recipient of numerous accolades, Mr. Wheeler was asked to carry the Olympic torch as it traveled through Dallas before the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, and he was given the Essence of Leadership Award for Excellence in National Executive Leadership from the National Human Services Assembly; he was also included in the NonProfit Times Power and Influence Top 50 list for three years in a row beginning in 2006, and he has been a guest lecturer and speaker at Harvard University, UT Dallas, the Georgetown University Law Center, the University of Mississippi, and UT Austin; and

WHEREAS, Today Mr. Wheeler continues to participate on the boards of the American Legacy Foundation and the Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research and on the advisory committees of the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; he has also launched a consulting practice, and he resides in Walburg with his wife, DeLisa, and their family; and

WHEREAS, With the utmost dedication and a genuine concern for his fellow citizens, Cass Wheeler has made lasting contributions to the American Heart Association and to the entire nonprofit industry, and he has garnered the respect and admiration of all who are fortunate enough to know him; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby honor M. Cass Wheeler on his outstanding career and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Wheeler as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.