House Concurrent Resolution 35

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING FORMER STATE SENATOR STEVE HALE FOR HIS DISTINGUISHED PUBLIC SERVICE CAREER THAT INCLUDED SERVICE AS A STATE SENATOR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, MAYOR OF SENATOBIA AND SENATOBIA ALDERMAN.

WHEREAS, former State Senator Steve Hale represented Senate District 10, which included portions of Panola and Tate Counties, for four years from 2012 to 2015, and Senator Hale served the citizens of District 10 with effective representation from a dedicated public servant with business experience; and

WHEREAS, Senator Hale's career included serving as Director of the Tate County Planning Commission (2005-2011), Senatobia Alderman (1989-1993), Mayor of Senatobia (1993-2001), Director of the Mississippi Municipal Association, Director of North Delta Planning and Development Incorporated, Deputy Director of the Mississippi Development Authority (2002-2003) and Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority (2003-2004); and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hale is a 1972 graduate of Magnolia Heights School where he was inducted in the athletic Hall of Fame, and earned his bachelor of science degree in business administration from Mississippi State University where he played baseball; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Hale's professional experience included being a small business owner and operator of Hale Lumber Company, a small family owned business started by his grandfather, where Steve worked from 1976 to 1991; and

WHEREAS, Senator Hale served on the following Senate committees: Economic Development, Vice Chair; Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency; Education; Finance; Investigate State Offices; Judiciary Division A; and Universities and Colleges; and as a former head of Mississippi's lead economic development agency, he understood the impact that a trained and educated workforce within our state has on prospective employers, both from existing and new businesses, and that education and job creation should go hand in hand; and

WHEREAS, Senator Hale was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 28, 1954, and he is married to the former Cindy Rials, and they have two children, Jennifer Hale Lowrie and Jay Hale, and four grandchildren, and he is of the Baptist faith; and

WHEREAS, Senator Steve Hale's service was marked by his commitment to success and recognized leadership, sound judgment, civility, courtesy and fairness, setting the highest standard in all of his many roles: husband, father, businessman, statesman, community leader and leader in the Mississippi Senate, and as a true friend; and his service honored the Mississippi Senate, the City of Senatobia and this great state that he loved and served:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and recognize former State Senator Steve Hale, whose outstanding career of public service enhanced the State of Mississippi and the lives of so many Mississippians, and we wish Steve and his family much success in his future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to former State Senator Steve Hale and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.