[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 10, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E603]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IN CELEBRATION OF EBBY HALLIDAY'S 98TH BIRTHDAY

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                           HON. PETE SESSIONS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 10, 2009

  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a true Dallas icon 
and a legendary woman that has changed the real estate industry, Ebby 
Halliday Acers. She celebrates her ninety-eighth birthday on March 9th.
  Ebby first arrived in Dallas in 1938 and soon after owned and ran her 
own boutique called Ebby's Hats. After being approached by a developer 
in 1945, Ebby went from selling hats to selling houses. Together with 
her beloved husband, Maurice Acers, Ebby Halliday Realtors was founded. 
The company's inventory began with fifty-two houses on the old Walnut 
Hill Golf Course in North Dallas, but has steadily grown year after 
year into one of the most successful and widely recognized real estate 
firms in the country. Aside from her entrepreneurial spirit, her 
success can be attributed to the great care and attention she gives to 
her employees and agents as well as her buyers. This personal touch 
includes nurturing talent as well as meeting with new employees, making 
them feel welcomed. Over the course of her career she has received 
numerous awards such as the Horatio Alger Award in 2005 and the 
Visionary Award from Foundation Fighting Blindness and the Linz Award 
in 2008.
  Aside from her professional achievements, Ebby is also known for her 
philanthropic spirit. She has generously given of her time and effort 
in addition to monetary contributions. Many nonprofit organizations and 
causes such as St. Paul Medical Center, United Way of Metropolitan 
Dallas and the Communities Foundation of Texas have benefitted greatly 
from her love for and dedication to her community. There is no doubt 
that the great City of Dallas is a better place because of her.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our 
heartiest congratulations to Ebby as she celebrates her ninety-eighth 
birthday. I wish Ebby many more years of health, happiness, and 
prosperity. May we all strive to have the same generosity and 
dedication that she exemplifies.

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