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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce |
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is posthumously awarding its Golden Eagle Award to Michael A. Allen |
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of McAllen during its annual Noche de Gala on January 22, 2011, and |
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this special occasion marks a fitting opportunity to pay tribute to |
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the life and achievements of this remarkable community servant; and |
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WHEREAS, Mike Allen was born in 1937 in New Kensington, |
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Pennsylvania; his family moved to Port Lavaca when he was a child, |
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and he attended St. Anthony Catholic High School in San Antonio; he |
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studied at the Oblate School of Theology and was ordained as a |
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Catholic priest in 1963; and |
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WHEREAS, During his years as a priest, Mr. Allen served a |
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number of parishes in the Rio Grande Valley, including Sacred Heart |
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in McAllen and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mission; after leaving the |
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priesthood in the 1970s, he moved to Austin for a time, and then |
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returned to McAllen; he was joined in matrimony to his wife, |
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Theresa, in 1991, and together they enjoyed a fulfilling |
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relationship until his death; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1988, Mr. Allen was named as the first president |
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and CEO of the McAllen Economic Development Corporation, and he |
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played a leading role in the expansion of the maquiladora industry |
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in the Rio Grande Valley, helping to improve relations with Mexico, |
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establish the foreign trade zone, and create jobs in McAllen; and |
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WHEREAS, During his 18-year tenure as leader of the MEDC, Mr. |
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Allen helped attract 206 new businesses and thousands of jobs to the |
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McAllen area; his efforts also helped to draw 292 businesses and |
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many new jobs to Reynosa, across the border in Mexico, thus forging |
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strong ties between the two cities; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1998, Mr. Allen helped to establish the Texas |
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Border Coalition, bringing together officials and businesspersons |
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all along the border from Brownsville to El Paso; he also cofounded |
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a coalition of five Hidalgo County communities, the South Texas |
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Border Partnership; he was instrumental in the campaign to develop |
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the new Anzalduas International Bridge at McAllen as well as the |
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proposed Interstate 69 highway; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Allen was a founder of South Texas Community |
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College, now called South Texas College, and he served as a trustee |
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for the college from 2004 until his death; he was a member of the |
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American Economic Development Council, the Reynosa Maquila |
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Association, the Texas Good Roads and Transportation Association, |
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the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council, and the Rio Grande |
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Valley Partnership Chamber of Commerce, among others; he also |
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served on the board of the Rio Grande Valley Council of Governments |
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and as a member of the Governor's Task Force on Management and Labor |
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Relations; and |
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WHEREAS, Known to his friends and admirers as "Padre Mike," |
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this gifted and energetic man was recognized by the City of Hidalgo |
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as 2006 Border Texan of the Year, and in 2009 he earned the |
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prestigious Road Hand Award from the Texas Department of |
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Transportation in recognition of his work to improve the valley's |
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highways; and |
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WHEREAS, Until his death on August 25, 2010, Mike Allen |
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worked tirelessly to provide economic opportunity and improve the |
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quality of life for the residents of McAllen and the Rio Grande |
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Valley, and he is indeed worthy of recognition for his years of |
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service and many achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That Michael A. Allen's receipt of the Golden Eagle |
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Award from the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce be |
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commemorated and that the life and legacy of this outstanding |
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community leader be honored; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |