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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 608
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WHEREAS, For many years, James and Leeshan Chuang Birney of |
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Stone Mountain Properties have distinguished themselves through |
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their success as entrepreneurs and as civic leaders in the |
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Houston area; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating from National Taiwan Normal |
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University, Leeshan Chuang Birney earned a master's degree in |
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business administration from New York University and then founded |
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the Stone Mountain Properties real estate company; James Birney |
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earned his master's degree in business administration from New York |
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University as well, and he enjoyed a long and successful career on |
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Wall Street as a founding partner of Furman, Selz, Mager, Dietz, |
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and Birney, a brokerage and investment firm, before joining his |
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wife in the family real estate business; in the decades Mr. and Mrs. |
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Birney have worked together at Stone Mountain Properties, they have |
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developed projects in Houston and New Jersey and built a portfolio |
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worth more than $100 million; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout their careers, the Birneys have also |
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given generously of their time and resources to a wide variety of |
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institutions and community organizations; among the entities to |
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benefit from their efforts are the Houston Housing Finance |
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Corporation, the Asian American Business Council of the Asian |
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Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese Community Center, the Global |
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Federation of Chinese Business Women, the Planning Board of the |
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City of Houston, and the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Birney are also supporters of the |
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Chinese American Relief Effort and the Joint Chinese College |
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Alumni Association, which has named a music scholarship in their |
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honor; in addition, they have provided funds for innumerable |
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programs for disadvantaged young people, the elderly, and the |
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disabled, and they actively promote leisure learning, literary |
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seminars, arts exhibitions, and concerts; and |
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WHEREAS, The couple's many honors include the Outstanding |
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Chinese Entrepreneur Award from Chinese21.com, the International |
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Leadership Foundation's Regional Leadership Award, the Hua Kuan |
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Award from the Global Federation of Chinese Business Women, the |
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Yellow Rose of Texas award from the governor of Texas, the |
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Corporate Impact Award from the Chinese Professional Club, and |
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the President's Volunteer Service Award from President Barack |
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Obama; and |
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WHEREAS, James and Leeshan Birney have furthered the |
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prosperity and well-being of the Houston area through their |
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business and philanthropic endeavors, and they are truly |
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deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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Legislature, hereby congratulate James and Leeshan Chuang Birney |
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on the success of Stone Mountain Properties and commend them for |
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their many years of community service and charitable giving; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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Mr. and Mrs. Birney as an expression of high regard from the Texas |
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Senate. |
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Bettencourt |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on April 12, 2017. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |