Bill Text: VA SJR345 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled

Virginia Senate Joint Resolution 345 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Celebrating the life of William K. Coors.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-02-22 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ345ER) [SJR345 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2019-SJR345-Enrolled.html

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 345 Celebrating the life of William K. Coors.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 7, 2019 Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 21, 2019

WHEREAS, William K. Coors, master beer brewer, philanthropist, inventor, environmental steward, and patriarch of the Coors family, died on October 13, 2018, at the age of 102; and

WHEREAS, Bill Coors was the grandson of Adolph Coors, Sr., who founded the Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado, in 1873; and

WHEREAS, Bill Coors joined the family business as a chemical engineer in 1939; among his most noteworthy achievements were the development of the recyclable aluminum can and the practice of offering a refund for each can brought to a recycling center; and

WHEREAS, during World War II, Bill Coors served the nation by facilitating the manufacture and delivery of large quantities of ceramic insulators for use by the Manhattan Project, later receiving the Energy Secretary's Appreciation Award for his efforts; and

WHEREAS, Bill Coors also pioneered corporate wellness programs, leading the Coors family's foundation in giving millions to environmental, educational, and cultural causes; and

WHEREAS, Bill Coors remained active in the company until his death and was instrumental in choosing Elkton, Virginia, as a second home for Coors Brewing Company, overseeing construction of the current MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery while preserving agricultural land and natural resources; and

WHEREAS, the MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery was established in the Shenandoah Valley in 1987 and presently employs 484 full-time employees; the facility brews and packages nearly eight million barrels of beer annually, including the premium brands Coors Light, Blue Moon, Miller High Life, and Miller Lite; and

WHEREAS, thanks to Bill Coors' visionary leadership, the MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery has become an essential part of the Commonwealth's brewing industry, working with the local distributor network to contribute more than $45 million in state excise tax revenue annually, all while demonstrating exemplary workplace safety and health, strictly adhering to industry standards for the responsible marketing and advertising of beer to persons of legal drinking age, consistently supporting education and prevention programs to prevent underage drinking, and encouraging the responsible retail sale of alcohol; and

WHEREAS, MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery has maintained Bill Coors' commitment to the preservation of natural resources by promoting water pollution prevention and addressing water quality issues throughout the state; the brewery is committed to minimizing its environmental impact and has received the Governor's Environmental Excellence award for its waste reduction and "zero to landfill" green team efforts; and

WHEREAS, following Bill Coors' example of good corporate citizenship, the MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery and its employees have contributed generously to a variety of local charities and organizations, including the United Way of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Rockingham Memorial Hospital, scholarship programs and program support for James Madison University and local public schools through the Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc., local emergency and disaster response teams, and local chapters of the American Cancer Society and the March of Dimes; and

WHEREAS, known as a true gentleman, Bill Coors was admired for his integrity and wisdom and respected for his contributions to the malt beverage industry and the citizens of Virginia and Colorado; and

WHEREAS, Bill Coors will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by numerous family members and friends, as well as the employees of the MillerCoors Shenandoah Brewery and their families, local community leaders, and fellow brewers; 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 William K. Coors, an innovative leader in the brewing industry who made many contributions to the economic vitality of the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of William K. Coors as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.