TITLE: Recognizing Helen Ramirez on her appointment as city manager of Brownsville.

SUMMARY: Recognizing Helen Ramirez on her appointment as city manager of Brownsville.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to join the Brownsville City Commission and the entire community in recognizing the appointment of Helen Ramirez as the city manager of Brownsville; and WHEREAS, Helen Ramirez was appointed to the position of city manager of Brownsville in January of 2023; the standout candidate in a rigorous selection process, Helen was chosen from a nationwide pool of competitive applicants to manage the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley; and WHEREAS, Helen previously served the City of Brownsville as interim city manager and deputy city manager, and she brings more than 20 years of experience in municipal government, urban planning, and economic development; she also served as executive director and chief executive officer of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation; and WHEREAS, Helen has done much to benefit the Brownsville community in her former leadership roles; she was instrumental in stimulating economic growth, accelerating downtown redevelopment, overhauling development codes, preparing the city's first Mobility Transportation Plan, and strengthening the city's organizational structure; and WHEREAS, Prior to joining the City of Brownsville, Helen served communities in Central Texas and Southern California; before entering public service, she worked for 10 years in the private sector managing complex and high-profile economic development projects in the United States and internationally, including the award-winning $115 million New Space and Missile Command Center redevelopment project at the Los Angeles Air Force Base; and WHEREAS, A woman of extraordinary aptitude and intelligence, Helen holds a degree in city and regional planning from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo and has earned an American Institute of Certified Planners certification, and the residents and leaders of Brownsville welcome the substantial improvements that Helen will continue to implement as the first woman to serve as Brownsville's city manager; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th Legislature, hereby commend Helen Ramirez on her appointment as city manager of Brownsville and extend to her best wishes for success during her administration and in all her future endeavors; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for her as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. LaMantia President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 13, 2023.