TITLE: Honoring Ronald H. Hufford for his service as executive director of the Texas Forestry Association.

SUMMARY: Honoring Ronald H. Hufford for his service as executive director of the Texas Forestry Association.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Ronald H. Hufford will retire as executive director of the Texas Forestry Association on December 31, 2017, drawing to a close more than three decades of outstanding service to that institution; and WHEREAS, After earning a bachelor's degree in forestry from Southern Illinois University in 1971, Mr. Hufford served his country for four years as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force; he then joined the Southern Forest Products Association, where he worked as a field representative, as director of field services, and ultimately as vice president of the Forest Resources and Environmental Division; and WHEREAS, In 1984, Mr. Hufford assumed the helm of the Texas Forestry Association, and he has excelled over the past 33 years in furthering that organization's mission to promote forest conservation and the forestry industry; he has also chaired the Texas Agricultural Council, the Texas Society of Association Executives, and the Texas A&M Forest Science Advisory Council, and has served on the advisory board of the Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program; and WHEREAS, Mr. Hufford's many accolades include the Distinguished Service to Forestry Award from the Texas Society of American Foresters, the Bill Clements Memorial Award from Build East Texas, and the Fellow Award from the Society of American Foresters; in 2015, this esteemed Texan was inducted into the Texas Forestry Hall of Fame, and in 2016, the new TFA headquarters building in Lufkin was named in his honor; and WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure as TFA executive director, Ron Hufford has brought to his myriad duties an exceptional breadth of experience and a consummate professionalism, and he may indeed reflect with pride on a career well spent as he embarks upon the next exciting chapter of his life; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas Legislature hereby honor Ronald H. Hufford for his exemplary leadership of the Texas Forestry Association and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Hufford as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Ashby Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 176 was adopted by the House on February 23, 2017, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House