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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Michael Whitney McKinney served his state and its |
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business community with great distinction, and his passing on |
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February 15, 2012, brought a great loss to all who were fortunate |
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enough to know this admired Texan; and |
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WHEREAS, A San Angelo native, Mike McKinney earned his |
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bachelor's degree in government from The University of Texas at |
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Austin; in 1968, he began his career in public service working for |
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Preston Smith, first in the office of the lieutenant governor and |
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later as Governor Smith's special assistant and appointments |
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secretary; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. McKinney went on to distinguish himself as |
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assistant to the executive director of the Texas Water Quality |
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Board and then as assistant administrator of the Texas Alcoholic |
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Beverage Commission; he became vice president of industry affairs |
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for the Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas in 1984, and he was |
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named its chief executive officer five years later; he led WBDT with |
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enormous skill and energy for more than two decades, and he spent so |
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much time observing the floor activities of the Texas House of |
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Representatives that a chair in the gallery came to be regarded as |
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his; and |
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WHEREAS, Such publications as the Quorum Report and Capitol |
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Inside recognized Mr. McKinney's diligence and effectiveness, and |
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in 1996, the TABC presented him with its Bert Ford Commendation; |
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moreover, he received both the Presidential Award for Legislative |
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Excellence and the President's Industry Service Award from the |
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National Beer Wholesalers Association; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to preserving our state's rich heritage, |
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Mr. McKinney served on the board of the Bob Bullock Texas State |
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History Museum Foundation, including as its president from 2005 to |
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2006, and he was a member of the State Cemetery Board and the board |
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of Friends of the Governor's Mansion; he actively supported |
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improvements to the mansion as a member of the Sam Houston Society |
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as well; and |
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WHEREAS, For years during legislative sessions, Mike |
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McKinney was a near-constant presence in his favorite chair in the |
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house gallery, and it is appropriate to pay special tribute to him |
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with the installation of an engraved plaque on that chair; in |
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accordance with the provisions of Chapter 443, Government Code, the |
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State Preservation Board is charged with approving all changes to |
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the Capitol and its contents; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby direct the State Preservation Board to install a plaque that |
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is engraved with the words "In memory of Michael W. McKinney, a |
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great Texan and protector of the Code and Constitution" on the |
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specific house gallery chair long occupied by Mr. McKinney; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an |
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official copy of this resolution to the executive director and |
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members of the State Preservation Board. |