Bill Text: VA SJR103 | 2014 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Dr. David H. Holt.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2014-01-31 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ103ER) [SJR103 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2014-SJR103-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, Dr. David H. Holt, an esteemed member of the world community and proud chair of the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation, died on August 23, 2013; and WHEREAS, as one of the nation's leading experts in the areas of new venture creation, entrepreneurship, and enterprise development, Dr. Holt authored five books and over 60 publications in the field; and WHEREAS, Dr. Holt enjoyed an academic career as a faculty member at the University of Strathclyde, State University of New York, Lingnan College, and James Madison University, and as a distinguished visiting professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong; and WHEREAS, Dr. Holt worked as a special investigator, evaluator, and post-conflict development specialist with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and foreign national entities in 27 countries over 25 years as a CEO, president, and team leader in high-risk private sector development initiatives in Latvia, Poland, Bosnia and Herzogovina, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, East Timor, the Philippines, Ukraine, Croatia, Russia, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, heading a United Nations transition team, Dr. Holt helped establish East Timor's first government and its legislative and regulatory capabilities; later he served on the transition team in Bosnia and Herzogovina for post-conflict industrial development; and WHEREAS, appointed CEO and president of the Jordan-United States Partnership, Dr. Holt headed a major business and economic development program that included operational mandates during the Iraq conflict involving evaluation controls and positioning of contractual redevelopment efforts in Baghdad; and WHEREAS, Dr. Holt was selected to lead a difficult USAID business development program in Kazakhstan that included offices in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan; in 2007, while on assignment in Afghanistan, he retired voluntarily due to medical issues that rendered him 100 percent disabled; and WHEREAS, honored at Cambridge University with the Decade Award in 2007, Dr. Holt remains one of the 14 Fellows honored by the Eastern Academy of Management for his post-conflict development efforts in Bosnia and Herzogovina, Iraq, and Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, Dr. Holt took an active role in community affairs, including creating the James Madison University Center for Entrepreneurship; serving on the founding boards of the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology and the Virginia Heritage Frontier Museum; cofounding the Hunter School for Specialized Children; serving as the president of the Lakeview Development Corporation, owner of the Lakeview Golf Club in Harrisonburg; and initiating the first Alzheimer's Benefit Golf Tournament in Harrisonburg; and WHEREAS, Dr. Holt proudly served his country in the United States Navy for eight years and was honorably discharged with disabilities after Vietnam; and WHEREAS, working tirelessly in support of veterans affairs, Dr. Holt established the inaugural "Victory for Vets" Golf Tournament to benefit the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program and raised over $91,000 for the program during the succeeding six years; and WHEREAS, Dr. Holt served the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation as a member of the Board of Trustees, as Development Committee Chairman, and for two years as Board Chairman, inspiring his fellow trustees with his in-depth knowledge and inspirational leadership; and WHEREAS, Dr. Holt will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Judith; his children, Kevin, Bryan, and Sean, and their families; and many other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of a devoted public servant, Dr. David H. Holt; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Dr. David H. Holt as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory. |
