H.R. No. 816

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The 80th birthday of a respected entrepreneur is
	indeed cause for celebration, and Sam W. Meineke of League City is
	marking this important milestone on March 19, 2011; and
	WHEREAS, Born in 1931 in Oklahoma, Sam Meineke learned at an
	early age the value of hard work; the son of a sharecropper, he
	picked cotton seven days a week and distracted himself from the
	job's physical demands by dreaming of a future in which he would
	attain the success of men like Henry Ford and Andrew Carnegie, whom
	he'd read about in school; and
	WHEREAS, His family left the cotton fields in 1944 to come to
	Pasadena, Texas; there Mr. Meineke quickly found employment mowing
	lawns in the neighborhood and working at a filling station;
	throughout high school he continued to work, sometimes holding down
	three jobs at a time in order to contribute to the family finances
	and save what he could; and
	WHEREAS, By the time he was 21, he was able to make a down
	payment on the purchase of a service station, and with a friend from
	high school, he invested in a number of other ventures; although
	most of these ultimately lost money, he learned from his mistakes
	and persevered; in 1957, the pair opened Bass and Meineke Auto
	Parts, and the store became a success; by 1970, when Mr. Meineke
	sold his share to his partner, the business had grown into a
	lucrative chain of 12 stores; and
	WHEREAS, Eager for a new opportunity, Mr. Meineke opened his
	first muffler shop later that same year; he expanded to four
	additional locations and, together with Harold Nedell, an
	experienced manager in the industry, decided to franchise the
	company; by the time the business was sold in 1983, there were
	hundreds of Meineke Car Care Centers throughout the United States
	and beyond; and
	WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Mr. Meineke has enjoyed the
	love and support of his wife, Sadye, and their six children, Cheri
	Meineke-Johnson, Deborah Zonana, Peggy Meineke, Sherrye Bourgeois,
	Jerre Barron, and Brian Barron; the couple have also shared in the
	joy of welcoming into their family eight grandchildren, Ryan and
	Samantha Zonana, Lacey Derrington, Jerred, Kerre, Justin, and
	Brandi Barron, and Jeremy Faggard, as well as a great-grandchild,
	Thomas Derrington; and
	WHEREAS, The remarkable journey of Sam Meineke, from
	impoverished sharecropper to prosperous business magnate,
	constitutes a quintessential Texas success story, and his 80th
	birthday provides a welcome opportunity to recognize his many
	inspiring achievements along the way; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby congratulate Sam W. Meineke on the occasion of
	his 80th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes for
	continued happiness; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Mr. Meineke as an expression of high regard by the
	Texas House of Representatives.
	Legler
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 816 was adopted by the House on March
	15, 2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House