[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 6863-6864]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            IN CELEBRATION OF EBBY HALLIDAY'S 98TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           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

[[Page 6864]]

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.

                          ____________________