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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Byron Berkley, president and CEO of Foothills |
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Entertainment in East Texas, has received the 2017 National |
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Association of Theatre Owners Marquee Award in recognition of his |
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leadership in the motion picture theater industry; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in California, Mr. Berkley began working at a |
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movie house when he was still in high school; he joined the United |
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California Theatres circuit and managed a number of theaters, |
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including drive-ins; in 1965, he was hired by the Dr Pepper |
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Company, and he became the national advertising manager responsible |
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for brand development in theater concessions; he was later employed |
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as a brand advertising manager at Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company and |
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as vice president of food service in the Sunkist Beverage Division |
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of General Cinema Corporation in Atlanta; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1985, Mr. Berkley bought the Plaza Cinema in |
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Henderson; he operated the theater from afar and also owned an art |
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house cinema in downtown Atlanta; after Sunkist was sold, he formed |
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Foothills Entertainment, acquired the 4 Star Cinema in Kilgore, and |
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partnered in the purchase of General Cinemas venues in Beaumont; |
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today, his holdings include 13 screens at four theaters, namely the |
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Plaza, the 4 Star, the Jackson Cinema in Jacksonville, and the |
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Brazos Cinema in Mineral Wells; his independent theaters were among |
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the first to transition to digital screening, and he sponsors |
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twice-yearly festivals of independent and foreign films; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Berkley has been a member of the executive board |
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of the National Association of Theatre Owners for more than a |
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quarter century; he further serves as the organization's treasurer |
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and as a member of several committees, and he is president of |
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Theatre Owners of Mid-America, a regional association for |
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exhibitors in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, In an era of seismic change in the entertainment |
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business, Byron Berkley has contributed significantly to the |
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advancement of independent theater exhibition, and he is indeed |
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deserving of this prestigious accolade; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Byron Berkley on his receipt of the |
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2017 National Association of Theatre Owners Marquee Award and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Berkley as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |