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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Ramsay Gillman of Houston, a leader in the auto |
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industry and dedicated philanthropist, passed away on June 3, 2011, |
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at the age of 67; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Houston on February 1, 1944, Mr. Gillman was |
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the son of Frank and Lula Gillman; he followed in the footsteps of |
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his father, a pioneer in the car business, and began working in the |
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parts department of his Pontiac dealership in downtown Houston; |
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after completing studies at the General Motors Dealer Management |
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Institute and other specialized schools, Mr. Gillman became an |
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authorized dealer in 1967; he took the helm of the family business |
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in 1980, and with his skillful guidance as chair, the Gillman |
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Companies became one of the largest private retail automotive |
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groups in the country, with more than a dozen dealerships in Texas; |
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his success allowed him to bring a third generation into the firm, |
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and he took great pride and satisfaction in working with his three |
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children; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Gillman benefited this state and his industry in |
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many ways; he served as vice chair of the Texas Motor Vehicle |
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Commission for three years in the 1980s, and he was serving on the |
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board of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles at the time of his |
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death; he served as a director of the National Automobile Dealers |
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Association for a decade and was elected president in 1997; he also |
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served as president of the Houston Automobile Dealers Association |
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and as vice president of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association; |
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most recently, he was a trustee for the NADA Charitable Foundation |
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and a member of the NADA Dealers Election Action Committee; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1996, the American International Automobile |
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Dealers Association gave Mr. Gillman its Sports Illustrated |
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All-Star Dealer Award in recognition of his contributions to the |
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automotive business and commitment to numerous charitable |
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organizations; the Texas Automobile Dealers Association presented |
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him with its Automotive Legends Award for lifetime achievement in |
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2009; generous and deeply committed to his community, Mr. Gillman |
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supported the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Youth Scholarship |
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Program, the Fort Bend County Women's Center, the Earning by |
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Learning Program, the Ronald McDonald House, and the Muscular |
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Dystrophy Association and Sickle Cell Association; and |
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WHEREAS, This dynamic Texan was a mentor to innumerable |
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people; devoted to his family and host of friends, he particularly |
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loved to plan adventures for his treasured grandchildren; his warm, |
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joyous nature brightened the days of everyone he met, and his quick |
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wit and gift for storytelling enlivened any gathering; he enjoyed |
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spending time outdoors and was an accomplished golfer, fisherman, |
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and hunter; and |
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WHEREAS, Although Ramsay Gillman is deeply missed, memories |
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of his kindness, exuberance, and steadfast integrity remain to |
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comfort and inspire those he leaves behind; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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Ramsay Gillman and extend sincere condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his wife of 35 years, Stevie Gillman; to his daughter, |
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Stacey Gillman Wimbish and her husband, Frank; to his sons, Jason |
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Gillman and his wife, Brittany, and Christopher Gillman; to his |
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grandchildren, Grace Wimbish, Frankie Wimbish, Jace Gillman, and |
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Cavan Gillman; and to his many other relatives and friends; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Ramsay |
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Gillman. |