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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Texas Masonry Hall of Fame is inducting Mackie |
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Bounds, Kevin Camarata, Dennis Knautz, and Mel Oller on March 20, |
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2025, in a ceremony conducted at the Alamo in San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, A towering figure in Texas commercial masonry for |
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more than four decades, Mackie Bounds joined Al Brown Masonry in |
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1980; he went on to shape the industry as a founding member and |
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president of the Central Texas Masonry Contractors Association; in |
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addition, he has served as president of the Texas Construction |
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Association, Mason Contractors Association of America, and Texas |
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Masonry Council; he has been a tireless, visionary advocate for |
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masonry and oversaw the creation of the Masonry Rocks workforce |
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development program, which has introduced thousands of high school |
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students to the trade; and |
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WHEREAS, Kevin Camarata has advanced Texas masonry over the |
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course of four decades; as CEO of Camarata Masonry Systems, he built |
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one of the nation's largest firms, which has redrawn Houston's |
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skyline with such iconic projects as Enron Field and Rice |
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University; he served as president of the board of TMC and authored |
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key bylaws and fostered supplier engagement; recognizing the |
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importance of workforce development, he championed training |
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programs through Construction Career Collaborative; he also guided |
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industry best practices through involvement with MCAA and the |
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Associated Masonry Contractors of Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, A pioneering architect of today's TMC, Dennis Knautz |
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changed the industry's landscape through his steadfast commitment |
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to corporate responsibility; during a career with Acme Brick |
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spanning over four decades, he helped orchestrate the merger of TMC |
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and the Southwest Brick Institute, resulting in a strong funding |
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framework for statewide growth and advocacy; moreover, he has |
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encouraged leadership from major manufacturers, championed masonry |
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ordinances, and guided organizations through challenging times; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Mel Oller has strengthened professional |
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associations through careful financial stewardship and steadfast |
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devotion; he has served twice as TMC president, and he is a former |
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president of the Associated Masonry Contractors of Houston as well; |
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through national ASTM committees, he has been a powerful voice for |
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fair codes; a trained union bricklayer turned estimator, he revived |
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vital cost guides, and he has worked to preserve industry history; |
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in addition, he has mentored and taught countless younger masons; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Generously sharing their time and expertise, these |
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inductees have elevated the masonry construction industry across |
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the Lone Star State, and in so doing, they have inspired others to |
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uphold a tradition of excellence and innovation; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature |
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hereby congratulate Mackie Bounds, Kevin Camarata, Dennis Knautz, |
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and Mel Oller on their induction in the Texas Masonry Hall of Fame |
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and extend to them sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared |
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for the inductees as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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Senate. |