TITLE: In memory of James Lee Ketelsen of Houston.

SUMMARY: In memory of James Lee Ketelsen of Houston.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The city of Houston lost an admired philanthropist and businessman with the death of James Lee Ketelsen on April 27, 2017, at the age of 86; and WHEREAS, Born in Davenport, Iowa, on November 14, 1930, Jim Ketelsen was the son of Ernest and Helen Ketelsen; after graduating from Northwestern University, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the USS Hunt during the Korean War; he married Joan Velde and they became the parents of a son, James, and a daughter, Lee; following the death of Mrs. Ketelsen, he was fortunate to find love a second time with the former Kathryn Lloyd, and they shared a fulfilling marriage that spanned 29 years; and WHEREAS, Mr. Ketelsen began his career as a CPA in the Chicago office of Price Waterhouse; in 1959, he was appointed assistant comptroller of J. I. Case Company, and he rose to become president when he was only 36 years old; after Case was acquired by Tenneco, he was named CEO and chair and led the multi-industry corporation until 1992; he became one of the first business executives to fully recognize the importance of a healthy workforce and built a state-of-the-art fitness center for employees; moreover, he set an example of wellness as an avid runner, and he initiated Tenneco's sponsorship of the Houston Marathon; and WHEREAS, Deeply committed to the community, Mr. Ketelsen gave employees paid time off for volunteerism, and he established Project GRAD, a four-year scholarship program at Davis High School that soon quadrupled its rate of college enrollment; following his retirement, he and his wife Kathryn built on that success by expanding Project GRAD to improve college readiness with a set of comprehensive interventions in earlier grades; he then applied his business acumen to the task of scaling up the initiative, and it became an influential model that was adopted across the country; the Houston Independent School District paid tribute to his efforts in 2002 by opening James L. Ketelsen Elementary School, where the children welcomed the frequent visits of their beloved "Mr. K."; and WHEREAS, Mr. Ketelsen benefited higher education as a regent of the University of Houston System and a trustee of Northwestern University; he was a member of the Texas Business and Education Coalition, the Texas Head Start Collaboration Task Force, and the State Board of Education Task Force on Early Childhood and Elementary Education, and he chaired the Texas 2000 State Coordinating Team; in addition, he helped raise funds to build the Wortham Theater, and he played a key role in the development of Sesquicentennial Park; among numerous other leadership roles, he was a trustee of the Houston Grand Opera Association and the Texas Heart Institute; he also shared his expertise as a director of such firms as Sara Lee Corporation, GTE Corporation, and J. P. Morgan & Company; and WHEREAS, Although Jim Ketelsen's death has brought great sorrow to his loved ones, his remarkable record of civic engagement will remain a source of inspiration, and his exceptional contributions will continue to resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of James Ketelsen and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his passing; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of James Ketelsen. Davis of Harris Straus Goldman Oliverson Allen Gonzales of Williamson Ortega Alonzo Gonz lez of El Paso Paddie Alvarado Gooden Parker Anchia Guerra Paul Anderson of Dallas Guillen Perez Anderson of McLennan Gutierrez Phelan Ar valo Hefner Phillips Ashby Hernandez Pickett Bailes Herrero Price Bell Hinojosa Raney Bernal Holland Raymond Biedermann Howard Reynolds Blanco Huberty Rinaldi Bohac Hunter Roberts Bonnen of Brazoria Isaac Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Israel Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burns Johnson of Harris Rose Burrows Kacal Sanford Button Keough Schaefer Cain King of Hemphill Schofield Canales King of Parker Schubert Capriglione King of Uvalde Shaheen Clardy Klick Sheffield Coleman Koop Shine Collier Krause Simmons Cook Kuempel Smithee Cortez Lambert Springer Cosper Landgraf Stephenson Craddick Lang Stickland Cyrier Larson Stucky Dale Laubenberg Swanson Darby Leach Thierry Davis of Dallas Longoria Thompson of Brazoria Davis of Harris Lozano Thompson of Harris Dean Lucio III Tinderholt Deshotel Martinez Turner Dukes Metcalf Uresti Dutton Meyer VanDeaver Elkins Miller Villalba Faircloth Minjarez Vo Fallon Moody Walle Farrar Morrison White Flynn Mu oz, Jr. Wilson Frank Murphy Workman Frullo Murr Wray Geren Neave Wu Gervin-Hawkins Nev rez Zedler Giddings Oliveira Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2252 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 19, 2017. Chief Clerk of the House