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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The H-E-B chain of grocery stores is celebrating the |
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110th anniversary of its founding in 2015, and this is an |
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appropriate occasion to take note of this signature Texan |
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enterprise; and |
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WHEREAS, On November 26, 1905, Florence Butt invested $60 and |
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opened the C. C. Butt Grocery Store in Kerrville in order to |
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support her three children and her husband, who was suffering from |
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tuberculosis; in its first month, the store made $50.60; and |
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WHEREAS, During the 1920s, Mrs. Butt's youngest son, Howard |
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E. Butt, took over the company and established new locations in Del |
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Rio and Laredo; by the 1940s, H-E-B had opened its first |
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air-conditioned stores and begun to stock frozen foods and its own |
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exclusive brands; three more stores were opened in San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, By the 1950s, H-E-B had created its first |
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supermarkets, incorporating a fish market, butcher shop, bakery, |
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and pharmacy in one building, and by the 1970s, the chain owned the |
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largest milk plant and the largest bread bakery in Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Expanding its reach even further, H-E-B launched an |
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upscale grocery brand with the opening of Central Market in Austin |
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in 1994, and in 2006, it opened Mi Tienda, a store designed for the |
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Latino market in Houston; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, H-E-B is one of the largest grocery chains in |
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the nation, and its more than 400 stores in Texas and northern |
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Mexico employ over 71,000 employees; with annual sales of $15 |
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billion, the chain is the largest privately held company in Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2002, H-E-B has been sponsoring its annual |
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Excellence in Education Awards, granting more than $600,000 to |
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outstanding educators each year; the store has received top ratings |
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from Consumer Reports, and in 2010, Progressive Grocer magazine |
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cited the chain as Retailer of the Year for its leadership in the |
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industry and its achievements in community service; and |
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WHEREAS, From its humble beginnings in Kerrville more than a |
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century ago, H-E-B has grown to become a retail institution relied |
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upon by millions of Texans every day and an inspiring story of |
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triumphant Lone Star entrepreneurship; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 110th anniversary of H-E-B and |
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extend to the company and its owners and employees sincere best |
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wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for H-E-B as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |