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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Robert Hawkins is being inducted into the AFL-CIO |
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Hall of Fame in 2009, and this occasion offers an ideal opportunity |
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to reflect on his many accomplishments; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Waco in 1939, Mr. Hawkins began doing odd |
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jobs at the age of 10 to help support his family; he joined the Army |
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National Guard at 17 and later served in the United States Army, the |
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Army Reserve, and the Texas State Guard before retiring as a colonel |
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with 25 years of military experience; he has been awarded the |
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Soldier's Medal and the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Hawkins joined the labor movement in the late |
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1950s while employed at General Tire and Rubber Company; he won |
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election as treasurer of Local 312 of the United Rubber Workers and |
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served as a delegate to the Central Texas Labor Council; shortly |
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after his election as secretary of the council, he was laid off from |
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General Tire, but he maintained his eligibility for the council by |
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finding a temporary job at Library Binding Service and getting |
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elected as a delegate from the International Brotherhood of |
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Bookbinders and Bindery Workers Union; he eventually achieved the |
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extraordinary distinction of having represented five separate |
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labor unions as a council delegate, including the International |
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Brotherhood of Plumbers and Pipefitters, the International |
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Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union, and the |
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International Union of Operating Engineers; and |
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WHEREAS, While working full-time and taking more than a full |
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course load at McLennan Community College in 1966, Mr. Hawkins was |
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also busy at the State Capitol, advocating forcefully in behalf of |
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funding for an expanded statewide system of community colleges; he |
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completed his associates degree with honors as valedictorian of his |
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class and went on to earn his bachelor's degree from the State |
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University of New York at Albany on a National Guard scholarship; |
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later, he earned a diploma in national security management from the |
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United States National Defense University and served on the faculty |
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of the Levern E. Weber National Guard Professional Education Center |
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in Arkansas; dedicated to workforce education, he completed |
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graduate course work in economic development at Georgetown |
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University, earned a graduate diploma in industrial development |
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from Texas A&M University, and completed advanced study programs |
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through the U.S. Department of Labor and the Federal Emergency |
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Management Agency; and |
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WHEREAS, This remarkable Texan joined the faculty of Texas |
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State Technical College Waco in 1970; during his noteworthy tenure |
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of nearly three decades, he taught courses, developed curriculum in |
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vocational training programs, and served as director of |
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apprenticeship programs before retiring as vice president of |
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special programs; since 1972, he has served the state on countless |
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boards and commissions, primarily concerning workforce training |
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and economic development, and he represented Texas at two White |
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House economic conferences; appointed to the Capitol Council of |
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senior advisors by Governor Ann Richards in 1991, he has served on |
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the Rehabilitation Council of Texas and the State Independent |
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Living Council, among others, and currently serves as dean of the |
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Texas Workforce Investment Council, as chair emeritus and dean of |
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the Central Texas Economic Development District board, and as chair |
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emeritus of the Heart of Texas Economic Development District board; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply committed to his community, Mr. Hawkins was |
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first appointed to the Bellmead City Council in 1988 and has served |
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as mayor four times; he serves on the current city council and |
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received the 2009 President's Award from the Bellmead Chamber of |
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Commerce; he is Past Master of Bellmead Masonic Lodge 1329 and holds |
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memberships in several Masonic bodies; moreover, he is a lifetime |
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member of AMVETS and of the Sons of the American Revolution and |
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serves as executive vice president of the 143rd Infantry Regiment |
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Association, 36th Infantry Division; a valued member of the First |
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United Methodist Church in Hubbard and a devoted father and |
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grandfather, Mr. Hawkins is supported in all his endeavors by his |
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wife, Ladean Hawkins; and |
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WHEREAS, Robert Hawkins has made a lasting difference in the |
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lives of innumerable Texans as a labor leader, an educator, and a |
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public servant, and he has earned the profound respect and |
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admiration of all who 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 hereby congratulate Robert Hawkins on his induction |
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into the AFL-CIO Hall of Fame and extend to him sincere best wishes |
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for 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 Mr. Hawkins as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |