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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, With the passing of Michael W. McKinney of Austin on |
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February 15, 2012, Texas lost a prominent figure in state politics |
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and an admired community leader; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Angelo in 1946, Mike McKinney was |
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president of the San Angelo Central High School student body his |
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senior year; he attended Angelo State University and graduated from |
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The University of Texas at Austin after earning his bachelor's |
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degree in government; he then began a 40-year career that would |
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never take him far from the pink dome and state politics; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. McKinney first worked for Preston Smith in the |
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office of lieutenant governor and continued to serve as his special |
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assistant after he was elected governor; following Governor Smith's |
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two terms in office, Mr. McKinney moved to the Texas Water Quality |
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Board as an assistant to the executive director; in 1977, he joined |
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the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, where he served as an |
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assistant administrator and helped modernize the agency; and |
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WHEREAS, A highly effective liaison, Mr. McKinney joined the |
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Wholesale Beer Distributors of Texas in 1984 as vice president of |
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industry affairs, and he was promoted to chief executive officer in |
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1989; throughout his career, Mr. McKinney's effectiveness as a |
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legislative lobbyist was well known and highly respected; Capitol |
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Inside listed him as the number one "single client lobbyist" in |
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2004, and The Quorum Report ranked him at the top of the list of |
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"Most Knowledgeable, Greatest Candor" in the governmental affairs |
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arena; he won many honors for his work, including the F.X. Matt |
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Award for Significant Accomplishment from the Brewers Association |
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of America in 2002 and the National Beer Wholesalers Association's |
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President's Award for Legislative Excellence in 1998; the NBWA |
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posthumously honored him with its Life Service Award in October |
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2012; and |
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WHEREAS, Along with the recognition that he received for his |
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professional achievements, Mr. McKinney was esteemed for his many |
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civic endeavors; he served as president of the Bob Bullock Texas |
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State History Museum Foundation and vice chair of the Friends of |
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the Texas State Cemetery; he was a former member of the boards of |
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the Friends of the Governor's Mansion and Keep Texas Beautiful; and |
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since the mid-1980s, he had volunteered in the planning and support |
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for governor and lieutenant governor inaugural activities and |
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governor for a day celebrations; additionally, he was a 32nd degree |
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Mason and a Knight Commander of the Court of Honour and was a member |
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of the board of directors of the Scottish Rite Learning Center of |
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Austin; he was also a longtime board member and president of The |
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Austin Club; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply devoted to his family, Mr. McKinney shared |
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nearly four decades with his beloved wife, the former LaNan Hooker, |
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and together they were blessed with two children, W. Blake McKinney |
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and Lauren Brooke McKinney, and three grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Though it is impossible to gauge the full effect of a |
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man's life, some individuals leave their unmistakable mark on the |
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world as they move through it, and Mike McKinney's contributions to |
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his state will long resonate in the lives of all who knew him; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Michael W. McKinney |
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and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his |
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wife, LaNan; to his children, Dr. W. Blake McKinney and his wife, |
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Erika, and Lauren Brooke McKinney; to his grandchildren, Chad |
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William McKinney, Braden Michael McKinney, and Skylar Sands |
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McKinney; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Michael |
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W. McKinney. |