TITLE: In memory of B. J. "Red" McCombs of San Antonio.

SUMMARY: In memory of B. J. "Red" McCombs of San Antonio.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The life of a legendary Texas business leader and philanthropist drew to a close with the passing of B. J. "Red" McCombs of San Antonio on February 19, 2023; and WHEREAS, Born Billy Joe McCombs in Spur on October 19, 1927, Red McCombs learned the importance of giving at an early age as his parents made weekly donations at their church and helped people of even more modest means survive the Great Depression; he attended Southwestern University on a football scholarship before serving in the army during World War II; subsequently, he studied business and law at The University of Texas at Austin under the G.I. Bill; his monumental career in auto sales began almost by accident; after agreeing to take a corporate job, he found himself with time on his hands before it started, and so he joined a friend who was selling cars at a Corpus Christi Ford dealership; the work perfectly suited his high energy, bigger-than-life personality, and he quickly became a star salesman and then struck off on his own, opening McCombs Used Cars in Corpus Christi in 1953; and WHEREAS, When his former boss asked for his help with a struggling San Antonio dealership, he restored it to profitability and became the owner; Mr. McCombs also kept his promise to set up his five founding salesmen with their own dealerships; eventually, he expanded his auto holdings to more than 60 stores; applying his business expertise to other fields, he cofounded a radio empire, Clear Channel Communications, now known as iHeartMedia, and his portfolio grew to include more than 400 businesses in such industries as real estate, energy, and sports; and WHEREAS, Having adopted San Antonio as his hometown, Mr. McCombs sought to raise its profile; he used his connections to enhance HemisFair '68 and began his quest to bring professional sports to the city; with a group of bold speculators, he made a deal to acquire an NBA team, and although the San Antonio Spurs endured some difficult early years, they became a source of pride for local residents; Mr. McCombs owned the team two separate times, finally selling it when he had secured its future in the community; in addition, he owned the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Vikings, and he was a major investor in the Circuit of the Americas racetrack in Austin, site of the Formula 1 U.S. Grand Prix; and WHEREAS, Mr. McCombs was an extraordinarily generous benefactor to UT Austin; in 1999, he gave $50 million to the business school, which was renamed in his honor; he also helped fund the UT softball stadium, which was named for him and his wife, Charline, and the renovation and expansion of the north side of DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, which was rebranded as the Red McCombs Red Zone; he received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Texas Exes in 1998; named a Distinguished Alumnus by Southwestern University as well, he chaired its board of trustees from 1992 to 2000, and he and his family made the largest alumni gift in the school's history to build the Red & Charline McCombs Campus Center; and WHEREAS, In 2005, Mr. and Mrs. McCombs donated $30 million to MD Anderson to establish the Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer; moreover, he gave tens of millions of dollars to San Antonio organizations, often to alleviate a dire need he had read or heard about; learning of a fire at Mary Hull Elementary School, which was already in danger of closure, he became an enthusiastic supporter of the campus, hosting pep rallies before school tests and mentoring teachers; and WHEREAS, Mr. McCombs shared a deeply fulfilling marriage of 69 years with the love of his life, the former Charline Hamblin; they made every major decision as partners, whether in business ventures or charitable endeavors; the couple were the proud parents of three daughters, Lynda, Marsha, and Connie, and through the years, their treasured family grew to include 8 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; Mrs. McCombs passed away in 2019; and WHEREAS, While the death of Red McCombs has deprived the state of one of its foremost entrepreneurs and philanthropists, his remarkable legacy will resonate for years to come, and those he leaves behind will forever treasure their memories of time spent in his company; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of B. J. "Red" McCombs and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his daughters, Lynda McCombs, Marsha Shields and her husband, John H., and Connie McNab and her husband, Sandy; to his grandchildren, Carson Rubey IV and his wife, Cristina, Chloe Shands and her husband, Matt, Anna Turner and her husband, Chris, Joe Shields and his wife, Andrea, Charles McNab, Sita McNab, Ian McNab and his wife, Alicia, and Easton McNab and his wife, Claire; to his great-grandchildren, Carson Rubey V, Townsend Shands, Christopher Turner, Zachary Turner, Charlotte Shields, Stella McNab, Wylie McNab, Ewan McNab, Billie McNab, Marianne McNab, and Isabella McNab; to his sister, LaWanda McCombs; and to his other relatives and many friends; 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 Red McCombs. Lujan Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 370 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on March 16, 2023. Chief Clerk of the House