[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 119 (Wednesday, September 11, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING WOODY HUNT

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. BETO O'ROURKE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 11, 2013

  Mr. O'ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor distinguished El Pasoan 
Woody Hunt as the recipient of the Ysleta High School ``2012-13 
Outstanding-Ex Award,'' which recognizes exceptional school alumni. Mr. 
Hunt has earned this distinction through a lifetime of serving the El 
Paso community in his roles as a successful business leader, tireless 
education advocate, and generous community servant.
  Mr. Hunt, a fourth generation El Pasoan, graduated from Ysleta High 
School in 1962 and earned his Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the 
University of Texas at Austin (1967). He received his MBA in Finance 
from UT Austin (1970) and later earned his MA in Management from the 
Drucker School of Management in Claremont, California (1986).
  Mr. Hunt began his career by returning to El Paso to work for the 
family business, which he eventually grew into one of the nation's 
leading construction and development companies. As Chairman and CEO of 
Hunt Companies, Inc., Mr. Hunt manages more than $13 billion in assets 
focused on the key areas of public-private partnerships, community 
development, real asset investment management and multifamily housing. 
Mr. Hunt uses his business expertise as a board member of numerous 
business and leadership nonprofits in El Paso.
  Beyond his notable business achievements, Mr. Hunt has been a 
particularly effective higher education advocate. He understands that 
access to college is essential to growing our middle class and ensuring 
that all Americans have an opportunity to succeed. Mr. Hunt is a board 
member of several national, statewide and local education organizations 
focused on college access, including Complete College America; the 
College for All Texans Foundation; and the Development Boards of the 
University. of Texas at El Paso and the Texas Tech University Health 
Sciences Center at El Paso. He previously served as the Vice-Chairman 
of the University of Texas System Board of Regents. This work allows 
him to focus on closing achievement gaps and increasing opportunity for 
traditionally underrepresented students. He is one of the first people 
I call when issues of higher education are before Congress.
  Mr. Hunt is also passionate about promoting quality and accessible 
healthcare. He is the founding Chairman and current board member of the 
Medical Centers of Americas Foundation in El Paso; a member of the 
Board of Visitors of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center 
in Houston; and was the Chairman of the Paso del Norte Health 
Foundation.
  Mr. Hunt serves as Chairman of the Hunt Family Foundation, which he 
and his wife Gayle established in 1987. The El Paso community continues 
to be enriched by Woody Hunt's legacy of leadership, integrity and 
generosity. I thank Mr. Hunt for his commitment to improving the 
quality of life for everyone in El Paso, and in particular for his 
tireless efforts to ensure young people in our community have access to 
excellent educational opportunities.

                          ____________________