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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, In recognition of the outstanding efforts of a truly |
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exceptional Texan, the Rotary Club of El Paso honored Dr. Herbert |
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H. Ortega with its Distinguished Service Award on June 23, 2011; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Bogota, Colombia, Herbert Hernando |
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Ortega has lived mostly in the United States since the age of nine, |
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spending his formative years in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and becoming a |
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U.S. citizen in 1957; he served in the Ohio National Guard until |
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being honorably discharged in 1959, and he earned degrees in the |
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social sciences, economics, public administration, political |
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science, and medicine; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Ortega's career has included resident |
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assignments in New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington, D.C., and |
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Central America; during a one-year assignment in El Paso to assess |
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health program opportunities for the Pan American Health |
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Organization, a division of the World Health Organization, he |
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decided to make the city his home; he became the chief of a field |
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office of PAHO and the executive director of the United |
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States-Mexico Border Health Commission, working to integrate |
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health care approaches among different levels of government and |
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engaging the private sector to provide support; and |
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WHEREAS, The many noteworthy initiatives Dr. Ortega has |
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overseen during his career include projects addressing neonatal and |
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child care, rabies, tuberculosis, cleft lip and palate, and HIV and |
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AIDS; he has worked with numerous institutions and groups, such as |
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the Health Officers Association of California, the Carnegie |
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Corporation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The |
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University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and the Pew |
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Charitable Trusts, among others; he is now the CEO of InterAmerica |
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Management of Mexico; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Ortega has lectured extensively on economic, |
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political, social, and health conditions affecting the United |
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States and Mexico; moreover, he has been a chief researcher on a |
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number of studies and a member of many task forces, and he taught |
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health care administration and the history of economic thought at |
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New Mexico State University for a dozen years; his accomplishments |
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have been recognized with resolutions from the Texas Department of |
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State Health Services, the California Legislature, and government |
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officials from the United States and Mexico; in addition, he |
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received an award from the Visiting Nurse Association of El Paso; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, An active member of Rotary International, Dr. Ortega |
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has traveled to Colombia and Central America in behalf of the |
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organization and was instrumental in promoting its involvement in |
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efforts to eradicate polio worldwide; he currently serves as the |
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president of the Rotary Club of El Paso; and |
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WHEREAS, Dr. Herbert H. Ortega is a dedicated leader whose |
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commitment to his profession and to public health has made a |
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positive difference in the lives of many people in the United |
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States, Mexico, and around the world, and he is most deserving of |
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this prestigious honor; 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. Herbert |
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H. Ortega on his receipt of the 2011 Distinguished Service Award |
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from the Rotary Club of El Paso and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes 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 Dr. Ortega as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |