TITLE: Congratulating Don Ward on his retirement as executive director of the One-Call Board of Texas.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Don Ward on his retirement as executive director of the One-Call Board of Texas.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Don Ward is retiring as founding executive director of the One-Call Board of Texas following 26 years of distinguished service in that role; and WHEREAS, The One-Call Board of Texas, formally known as the Texas Underground Facility Notification Corporation, was created to implement and oversee the statewide "One-Call" excavation notification system, established in 1997 through passage of the Underground Facility Damage Prevention and Safety Act; also known as the 811 Call Before You Dig Act, this legislation protects Texans when excavations are done near utility lines by requiring utilities to mark their facilities and obliging excavators to call 811 before they begin their work; and WHEREAS, Don Ward has served as executive director since the inception of the One-Call Board; throughout his tenure, he has worked diligently and effectively with its governor-appointed members, utilities, and notification centers to ensure the safety of the public; and WHEREAS, A native of Bryan, Mr. Ward grew up in Houston and graduated from Lamar High School; he transferred from Texas A&M University to Sam Houston State University to pursue his rodeo career in bull riding, and he was eventually inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame; for his graduate studies, he returned to Texas A&M; and WHEREAS, In 1980, Mr. Ward was recruited by the Brazos County district judge to serve as an aide and driver for Senator Bill Moore's campaign; the following year, he joined the Legislative Budget Board as a budget examiner; he went on to work in public policy advocacy for a number of associations, among them the Texas Good Roads Association, the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, and the Texas Pest Control Association; and WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Mr. Ward benefits from the love and support of his wife, Leslie Ward; they are the proud parents of three children, and he plans to spend his retirement on their ranch enjoying the company of his 10 grandchildren; and WHEREAS, Through his longstanding commitment to the vital mission of the One-Call Board, Don Ward has contributed significantly to the safety and well-being of his fellow Texans, and as he embarks on the next exciting chapter of his life, he may indeed reflect with pride on his accomplishments; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby congratulate Don Ward on his retirement as executive director of the One-Call Board of Texas and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Ward as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. Craddick Phelan Guerra Murr Allen Guillen Neave Criado Allison Harless Noble Anch a Harris of Anderson Oliverson Anderson Harris of Williamson Ordaz Ashby Harrison Orr Bailes Hayes Ortega Bell of Kaufman Hefner Patterson Bell of Montgomery Hernandez Paul Bernal Herrero Perez Bhojani Hinojosa Plesa Bonnen Holland Price Bowers Howard Ramos Bryant Hull Raney Buckley Hunter Raymond Bucy Isaac Reynolds Bumgarner Jetton Rogers Burns Johnson of Dallas Romero, Jr. Burrows A. Johnson of Harris Rose Button J. Johnson of Harris Rosenthal Cain Jones of Dallas Schaefer Campos Jones of Harris Schatzline Canales Kacal Schofield Capriglione King of Hemphill Shaheen Clardy King of Uvalde Sherman, Sr. Cole Kitzman Shine Collier Klick Slawson Cook Kuempel Smith Cortez Lalani Smithee Craddick Lambert Spiller Cunningham Landgraf Stucky Darby Leach Swanson Davis Leo-Wilson Talarico Dean Longoria Tepper DeAyala Lopez of Bexar Thierry Dorazio Lopez of Cameron Thimesch Dutton Lozano Thompson of Brazoria Flores Lujan Thompson of Harris Frank Manuel Tinderholt Frazier Martinez Toth Gamez Martinez Fischer Troxclair Garcia Metcalf Turner Gates Meyer VanDeaver Gerdes Meza Vasut Geren Moody Vo Gervin-Hawkins Morales of Harris Walle Goldman Morales of Maverick Wilson Gonz lez of Dallas Morales Shaw Wu Gonz lez of El Paso Morrison Zwiener Goodwin Mu oz, Jr. President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 122 was adopted by the House on May 26, 2023, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 122 was adopted by the Senate on May 27, 2023, by a viva-voce vote. Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: Date Governor