TITLE: Commending the Honorable Charlie Howard for his public service.

SUMMARY: Commending the Honorable Charlie Howard for his public service.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Honorable Charles F. Howard of Sugar Land, who retired from the Texas House of Representatives in January 2013, has rendered nearly two decades of outstanding service to his constituents and to citizens across the Lone Star State; and WHEREAS, First elected in 1994, Mr. Howard was returned to eight succeeding legislatures by the residents of House District 26; he shared his expertise on a number of committees during his tenure, primarily those concerned with environmental regulation and land and resource management, and he chaired the local and consent calendars committee in 2007; and WHEREAS, Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Fort Bend County, Representative Howard backed legislation that led to the establishment of a local University of Houston campus and a regional park in Sugar Land, as well as the Wharton County Junior College Fort Bend Technical Center in Richmond; he also partnered with other public officials to secure the expansion of the Southwest Freeway and to improve facilities at Sugar Land Regional Airport, an important asset to the regional economy; and WHEREAS, Mr. Howard and his wife, Josephine "Jo" Howard, arrived in Houston from Alabama in 1970, after having both worked on the NASA space program that landed the first man on the moon; an electrical engineer, Mr. Howard was on the team that developed the first broadband system to handle data transmissions to and from the spacecraft, and Mrs. Howard was involved in creating flight trajectory plans; they married after he completed his master's degree in business administration at Harvard University and have since enjoyed more than 40 years together; the couple have resided in Sugar Land for over a quarter-century; and WHEREAS, From 1973 until 1986, Mr. Howard served as executive vice president and operating officer of Sugar Land Properties, Inc.; during that time, he helped develop First Colony, a master-planned community with a population of around 50,000; he subsequently served as president of Howard/Turner Company and as executive vice president of Titus Construction Company; since 1993, he has owned and operated C. Howard Company, a firm specializing in real estate development; and WHEREAS, In his tireless commitment to advancing the well-being of his community, this esteemed public servant has worked with a wide range of civic organizations; he has served as president of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce and as a founding director of the Fort Bend Economic Development Council; he has also held a seat on the boards of Wharton County Junior College, Houston Baptist University, and the Houston Baptist University College of Business and is a former director of Fort Bend Community Hospital and the Fort Bend Museum; moreover, he has found time to coach teams for the Sugar Land Little League and the regional YMCA; and WHEREAS, Mr. Howard has garnered myriad accolades for his legislative service and his commitment to conservative principles; along with receiving the Leadership for God, Family, and Country Award from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, he has been honored as an Outstanding Legislator by the American Family Association and as a Defender of the American Dream by Americans for Prosperity; in addition, the Texas Association of Business has conferred on him its Fighter for Free Enterprise award; and WHEREAS, Blessed with a fine family, Mr. Howard draws continuing inspiration from his wife, their two children, Julie and Chad, and their four grandchildren, Ashton, Keaton, Ansley, and Kinsley; a man of deep faith and conviction, he has benefited the congregation at Sugar Creek Baptist Church as a deacon and Sunday school teacher; and WHEREAS, The considerable skill, energy, and dedication that Charlie Howard has brought to his legislative and civic endeavors have made a profound, positive impact on the lives of his fellow citizens, and the effect of his accomplishments will continue to be felt for years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas Legislature hereby commend the Honorable Charlie Howard for his notable contributions as a Texas state representative and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success and fulfillment in the years ahead; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Howard as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Miller of Fort Bend Harless Straus M. Gonzalez of El Paso Oliveira Allen N. Gonzalez of El Paso Orr Alonzo Gooden Otto Alvarado Guerra Paddie Anchia Guillen Parker Anderson Gutierrez Patrick Ashby Harless Perez Aycock Harper-Brown Perry Bell Hernandez Luna Phillips Bohac Herrero Pickett Bonnen of Brazoria Hilderbran Pitts Bonnen of Galveston Howard Price Branch Huberty Raney Burkett Hughes Ratliff Burnam Hunter Raymond Button Isaac Reynolds Callegari Johnson Riddle Canales Kacal Ritter Capriglione Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Carter King of Hemphill Rodriguez of Travis Clardy King of Parker Rose Coleman King of Taylor Sanford Collier King of Zavala Schaefer Cook Kleinschmidt Sheets Cortez Klick Sheffield of Bell Craddick Kolkhorst Sheffield of Coryell Creighton Krause Simmons Crownover Kuempel Simpson Dale Larson Smith Darby Laubenberg Smithee Davis of Dallas Lavender Springer J. Davis of Harris Leach Stephenson S. Davis of Harris Lewis Stickland Deshotel Longoria Strama Dukes Lozano Taylor Dutton Lucio III Thompson of Brazoria Eiland Marquez Thompson of Harris Elkins Martinez Toth Fallon Martinez Fischer Turner of Collin Farias McClendon Turner of Harris Farney Menendez Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles Villalba Fletcher Miller of Comal Villarreal Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White Geren Munoz, Jr. Workman Giddings Murphy Wu Goldman Naishtat Zedler Gonzales Nevarez Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 757 was adopted by the House on March 20, 2013, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House