74th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2007 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 3906
 
                 Senate Concurrent Resolution 19
 
Sponsored by Senator WHITSETT, Representative RILEY; Senators
  ATKINSON, AVAKIAN, BATES, BEYER, BROWN, BURDICK, CARTER,
  COURTNEY, DECKERT, DEVLIN, FERRIOLI, G GEORGE, L GEORGE,
  GORDLY, JOHNSON, KRUSE, METSGER, MONNES ANDERSON, MONROE,
  MORRISETTE, MORSE, NELSON, PROZANSKI, SCHRADER, STARR, VERGER,
  WALKER, WESTLUND, WINTERS, Representatives BARKER, BARNHART,
  BEYER, BONAMICI, BOONE, BOQUIST, BRUUN, BUCKLEY, BURLEY,
  BUTLER, CAMERON, CANNON, CLEM, COWAN, DALLUM, DINGFELDER, C
  EDWARDS, D EDWARDS, ESQUIVEL, GALIZIO, GARRARD, GELSER,
  GILLIAM, GILMAN, GIROD, HOLVEY, JENSON, KOTEK, KRIEGER,
  KRUMMEL, LIM, MACPHERSON, MAURER, MERKLEY, MORGAN, NATHANSON,
  NELSON, NOLAN, OLSON, READ, RICHARDSON, ROBLAN, ROSENBAUM,
  SCHAUFLER, SCOTT, SHIELDS, G SMITH, TOMEI, WHISNANT, WITT
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.
 
  In memoriam: Leslie (Les) Schwab, 1917-2007.
 
                      CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  Whereas Leslie (Les) Schwab, a native son of Oregon, was born
in Bend, Oregon, on October 3, 1917, and passed away on May 18,
2007; and
  Whereas Les Schwab began his schooling in a railroad boxcar at
Brooks-Scanlon's central Oregon logging camp; and
  Whereas Les Schwab, orphaned at age 15, supported himself and
his siblings by delivering the Oregon Journal newspaper; and
  Whereas Les Schwab's efficiency and tenacity resulted in his
eventual takeover of all nine newspaper routes in Bend; and
  Whereas Les Schwab found the determination to complete his
education and graduated from Bend High School in 1935; and
  Whereas Les Schwab married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy
Harlan, and was the father of two children, Harlan and Margaret;
and
  Whereas Les Schwab served his country honorably with the Air
Cadets in World War II; and
  Whereas upon his return from the war, Les Schwab spent nine
years in Bend as the circulation manager of The Bulletin; and
  Whereas Les Schwab began his business ventures in 1952 with his
purchase of the franchise shop O.K. Rubber Welders in Prineville
for $11,000; and
  Whereas in 1956 Les Schwab separated from the franchise and
changed the store name to Les Schwab Tire Centers, eventually
expanding into seven states, with 410 stores and sales in 2006 in
excess of $1.6 billion; and
 
  Whereas J.D. Power and Associates for four consecutive years
ranked Les Schwab Tire Centers as the best national passenger
vehicle and light truck tire retailer in customer satisfaction;
and
  Whereas Les Schwab was awarded the national Dealer of the Year
by Modern Tire Dealer magazine in 2000; and
  Whereas Les Schwab survived the death of his son, Harlan, who
was the 31-year-old vice president of Les Schwab Tire Centers
when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1971; and
  Whereas Les Schwab survived the death of his daughter, Margie
Denton, who had served as chairperson of Les Schwab Tire Centers
and who passed away in 2005; and
  Whereas Les Schwab suffered a heart attack and was forced to
give up day-to-day operations of the company but continued to
come to work every day; and
  Whereas Les Schwab understood that his employees were his
company's greatest asset; and
  Whereas Les Schwab created the Les Schwab Retirement Trust,
putting aside 15 percent of his employees' earnings into an
employee trust fund account; and
  Whereas Les Schwab, outraged at the cost of liability
insurance, decided to self-insure his company; and
  Whereas the employee benefits that Les Schwab offered, such as
no-premium medical coverage for his employees and their families,
were second to none; and
  Whereas Les Schwab shared generously with employees through the
employee profit share program; and
  Whereas Les Schwab valued and rewarded the principles of
self-reliance and loyalty; and
  Whereas Les Schwab's company was invaluable for its
stabilization of the economy of Prineville, Oregon, after the
loss of the timber industry; and
  Whereas Les Schwab gave back to his community in countless
ways; and
  Whereas when Les Schwab passed away May 18, 2007, his wife
Dorothy and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren were at his
side; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  That we, the members of the Seventy-fourth Legislative
Assembly, express our gratitude for Les Schwab's years of service
to Oregon's business economy, for the profound substance of his
work, for his belief in his employees and love of the customer,
for the lasting effect his efforts and service will have on the
industries of Oregon and for the extraordinary example he has set
for all Oregonians who endeavor to serve their communities and
their employees through entrepreneurship; and be it further
  Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to Les
Schwab's wife, Dorothy, and to their grandchildren, Diana, Alan,
Leslie and Julie.
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