Recognizing Michael ``mike'' K. Shields of the Baytown-West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation

Floor Speech

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Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Michael ``Mike'' K. Shields for his outstanding service to the City of Baytown and West Chambers County, Texas. After serving as the Executive Director of the Baytown-West Chambers County Economic Development Foundation for the last 36 years, Mike will be retiring this month.

For nearly four decades, Mike has been a driving force for regional economic growth. Without a doubt, his work has improved the quality of life for all living in the City of Baytown and the surrounding community.

Over the years, Mike played a major role in landing many significant developments and project expansions, including the establishment of a regional logistics hub, a distribution center for a multinational retail corporation, a multinational steel-making company, and the largest master-planned, rail-and-barge-served industrial park in the U.S. He was also instrumental in creating the Cedar Bayou Navigation District as well as the various improvement districts in Chambers County. These projects yielded numerous high-paying jobs for Baytown and generated a multitude of support from countless businesses in the Greater Houston area, including critical industries along the Houston Ship Channel.

During his tenure, Mike collaborated with key stakeholders, such as the City of Baytown, Chambers County, Harris County, the Port of Houston, the Greater Houston Partnership, the State of Texas, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and the Baytown Chamber of Commerce to diversify the economy and enhance growth and prosperity within the region. In addition, he actively contributed to the industrial development of the Greater Houston area through his memberships in the Texas Economic Development Council and the International Economic Development Council.

As if these significant accomplishments were not enough, Mike also served his nation honorably as an infantryman in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. During the war, his unit ran Reconnaissance-in-Force (RIF) missions to determine the location of enemy combatants for artillery strikes.

Madam Speaker, I thank Mike Shields for his momentous contributions to the economic development of the City of Baytown, West Chambers County, and the surrounding communities over the last 36 years. Our region has a flourishing economy, in large part to Mike's efforts, and I wish him and his family all the best in retirement.

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