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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Former El Paso mayor Larry Francis was honored by |
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the El Paso County Historical Society with induction into its Hall |
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of Honor in 2013; and |
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WHEREAS, Each year, the society pays homage to men and women |
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who have made significant contributions to the development and |
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quality of life in El Paso County throughout its history, and |
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Mr. Francis is indeed one such individual; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio in 1933, Larry Francis moved |
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with his family to El Paso in 1941 and went on to graduate from |
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Austin High School a decade later; he enrolled at Texas A&M |
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University and earned bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical |
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engineering, after which he was commissioned as a second lieutenant |
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in the United States Air Force; and |
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WHEREAS, On completing his enlistment in 1959, Mr. Francis |
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returned to El Paso and started an electronics business, Francis |
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Communications, that he would eventually pass on to his son, Rick; |
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in 1965, he founded the SYT Corporation, which he operated for many |
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years until selling the company and retiring in the 1980s; the SYT |
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Corporation specialized in designing and producing governmental |
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telecommunications equipment and systems and is known for |
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introducing the first direct telephone interface between mobile |
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radios and the common carrier telephone system; and |
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WHEREAS, It was during his retirement years that Mr. Francis |
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decided to venture into public service, holding his first post as |
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the chair of the Civil Service Commission; in 1993, he became the |
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45th mayor of El Paso after defeating the incumbent and 10 other |
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candidates, and he won a landslide victory for reelection two years |
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later; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his tenure, Mayor Francis guided |
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the city through a period of growth and modernization; in a short |
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time, he helped close the budget deficit and create a surplus, and |
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he was instrumental in resuming stalled expansion efforts for the |
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local zoo and airport and in moving forward plans for the |
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redevelopment of the Union Plaza District; drawing on his career |
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experience, he also led his administration in implementing major |
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technology upgrades, including new computer servers and a |
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cutting-edge radio communication system for fire, police, and |
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emergency medical personnel; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition to ably meeting the duties of his |
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office, this esteemed gentleman was a member of a number of boards |
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and commissions, among them the Sun Bowl Host Committee and the |
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Joint Legislature Support Committee, as well as advisory bodies for |
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the Fort Bliss Air Defense Museum and the El Paso A&M Club; he has |
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further immersed himself in activities with his church and the Boy |
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Scouts of America and in charitable fund-raising endeavors; and |
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WHEREAS, Along the way, Mr. Francis has been blessed with a |
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fine family that includes his wife, Marilyn Francis, their |
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children, Rick, Linda, Brian, and Carolyn, and their grandchildren; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Through his contributions as a public official, |
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businessman, and engaged citizen, Larry Francis has greatly |
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enhanced the community he is proud to call home, and he has earned a |
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lasting place among the most influential leaders, past and present, |
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to have lived and served in El Paso; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate former mayor Larry Francis on his |
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induction into the El Paso County Historical Society Hall of Honor |
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and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; 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 Mr. Francis as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |