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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Joe H. Morin retired from the Economic Development |
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and Tourism division in the Office of the Governor in January 2017, |
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concluding a distinguished tenure that spanned 15 years in state |
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government; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2001, Mr. Morin became the legislative director |
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for the Texas Department of Economic Development, and he assisted |
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in attracting the Toyota manufacturing facility to the state; he |
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also served as a small business advocate in the Office of the |
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Governor, and he led the effort to create the first statewide online |
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one-stop shop business portal; moreover, he recruited and organized |
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the state's first Small Business Innovation Research National |
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Conference with a view toward bringing more federal technology |
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funding to Texas-based entrepreneurs; he ultimately managed |
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finance and tax incentives programs in the Economic Development and |
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Tourism Office; and |
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WHEREAS, Before joining state government, Mr. Morin was |
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employed for two years as vice president of business development |
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for Harvard Technologies in Austin; he previously supported the |
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business community for 15 years as president of the Texas |
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Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, where he |
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developed new chamber organizations, created strategic |
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partnerships with over 50 major Fortune 500 corporations, and |
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launched key alliances with The University of Texas, Texas A&M |
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University, and the U.S. Small Business Administration; in |
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addition, he cofounded a mentorship program, Step Up To Success, |
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which was recognized as a model youth entrepreneurship initiative |
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by the U.S. Department of Commerce; he began his career in 1979 with |
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SER-Jobs for Progress; and |
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WHEREAS, Born and raised in Sinton, Mr. Morin is an alumnus of |
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Southwest Texas State University and The University of Texas at |
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Austin; over the years, he has served on the boards of the Greater |
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Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Society of |
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Association Executives, and the Austin-Saltillo Sister Cities |
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Association; he also cofounded the Economic Growth Business |
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Incubator, which is dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurs in Austin; |
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along with his wife, Lupe Morin, he received the Greater Austin |
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Through his skill, vision, and commitment to the |
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business community, Joe Morin has contributed to the prosperity of |
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the Lone Star State, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his |
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many accomplishments; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Joe H. Morin on his retirement from |
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the Office of the Governor and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Morin as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |