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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Dr. Robert R. Furgason has been inducted into the |
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Corpus Christi Business Hall of Fame by Junior Achievement of South |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, A worldwide, nonprofit organization, Junior |
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Achievement is committed to educating young people about free |
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enterprise and entrepreneurship and fostering financial literacy; |
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the organization's Corpus Christi Business Hall of Fame recognizes |
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local individuals who have achieved excellence in their field and |
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who have demonstrated vision and innovation, inspiring leadership, |
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and community mindedness; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Furgason served as the president of Texas A&M |
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University--Corpus Christi from 1990 to 2004; during his tenure, |
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the university dramatically increased its student enrollment and |
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greatly expanded the number of programs and degrees it offered; in |
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January 2005, Dr. Furgason became the first executive director of |
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the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, an endowed |
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research center located at Texas A&M--Corpus Christi and dedicated |
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to the sustainable use and conservation of the Gulf of Mexico; in |
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his role as director, he guided the institute from the planning |
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stages through the construction of its facility, contributed to the |
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development of the institute's mission and scope, and helped select |
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and hire its faculty and staff; he led the institute until his |
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retirement in 2008; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Furgason earned a bachelor's and a master's |
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degree in chemical engineering from the University of Idaho; he |
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went on to complete his Ph.D. at Northwestern University, and in |
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2006, the University of Idaho conferred on him an honorary |
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doctorate of administrative science; before becoming president of |
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Texas A&M--Corpus Christi, he served as vice chancellor for |
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academic affairs and professor of chemical engineering at the |
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University of Nebraska--Lincoln; and |
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WHEREAS, The impact of Dr. Furgason's contributions will |
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continue to resonate in the Coastal Bend and the Lone Star State for |
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years to come, and he is indeed worthy of this prestigious accolade; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby congratulate Dr. Robert |
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R. Furgason on his induction into the Corpus Christi Business Hall |
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of Fame and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Dr. Furgason as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |