Peter Holt Named Texan of the Year

[ashbeeigh]

Via twitter from a newsy friend

KWEDjessica: Peter Holt, owner of the Spurs and Holt CAT, has just been named the 2010 Texan of the Year. Congrats Mr. Holt!

not sure where, when how. Sure the article is forthcoming. If it's already out there forgive me and close the thread.

[duncan228]

Spurs owner and CEO Peter Holt named top Texan for 2010
San Antonio Business Journal

Civic and business leader Peter Holt has been named Texan of the Year by the Texas Legislative Conference.

Holt is chairman of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission, CEO and principal owner of Spurs Sports & Entertainment and CEO of HOLT CAT, the nation’s largest Caterpillar dealer. Spurs Sports & Entertainment is the holding company of the San Antonio Spurs, San Antonio Rampage, San Antonio Silver Stars and Austin Toros.

Holt will receive his honor at the Texas Legislative Conference’s annual reception at the New Braunfels Civic/Convention Center on March 18, 2010. The conference is a nonpartisan organization of Texas business and political leaders who meet annually in New Braunfels to focus on public policy issues.

Topics that will be discussed in 2010 include the economic outlook for Texas, immigration reform and a media pundits panel focusing on the March primary results.

In 2003, Gov. Rick Perry appointed Holt to serve as a commissioner on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and later chairman in 2007. During Holt’s tenure, funding for state and local parks has increased, public access to the outdoors has expanded and several landmark conservation property acquisitions have occurred.

During the most recent legislative session, Holt worked with the Texas Legislature to help restore key park sites such as the one in Galveston that was severely damaged by Hurricane Ike.

“Peter is a community leader who believes in corporate responsibility to support projects for public use,” says State Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, who is the conference program director.

He also serves on the board of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, the development board of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, the Texas State Aquarium and Trinity University. He was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame in 2004.

During his tenure as principal owner of the San Antonio Spurs, the team has been successful in winning four NBA Championships and twice has been named the best franchise in all of professional sports. The team also won the Pro Team Community Award by the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.

[Thompson]

In related news, Mark Cuban has asked for the board to review its decision awarding 'Texan of the Year' to Holt, remarking that they failed to consider Cuban's guest stint on WWE and his '...awesome custom t-shirt collection.'

[DMX7]

Wow, I didn't know how involved he was in the community. Good for him. Congrats!!!

[duncan228]

Spurs owner honored as Texan of the Year
By Vianna Davila - Express-News

There were no screaming fans, nor an NBA championship trophy to hoist over his head, but on Tuesday it was Spurs' owner Peter Holt receiving the accolades at the AT&T Center.

There, at a small press conference, members of the Texas Legislative Conference announced Holt was their choice for the group's 2010 Texan of the Year Award for his efforts to improve the state parks system.

The award honors living Texans who have contributed time and toil for the betterment of the state, said Carter Casteel, chairman of the conference's arrangements committee.

Though he's primarily associated with the Spurs and as CEO of Holt Cat, the largest Caterpillar dealer in the country, conference members cited Holt's work with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Gov. Rick Perry appointed him to the commission in 2003; he was made chairman in 2007. His term ends in 2011.

“He's an outstanding businessman, but he's also an outstanding outdoorsman, an outstanding philanthropist,” said state Rep. Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, the conference chair.

Holt has pushed to increase funding specifically for state parks, improving signage, access and marketing of the parks; he has advocated for more coordination between area parks and tying together trail and river systems.

“To me, it's our job to make them (the parks) the best they can be, to expand them,” Holt said.

He helped secure a 12 percent funding increase for the agency during the last legislative session, said Texas Parks and Wildlife executive director Carter Smith.

When Hurricane Ike caused more than $100 million in damages at more than 40 state park and wildlife management areas, Smith said Holt fought to secure rebuilding funds.

“He has long recognized the importance of state parks as gateways or portals into getting people into the out-of-doors,” Smith said.

Holt will receive the award at the Texas Legislative Conference March 18 in New Braunfels.

The conference is a non-partisan organization in its 44th year that annually meets in New Braunfels for a forum on state policy issues.

Previous award recipients include Barbara Jordan, former First Lady Laura Bush, and, a man Holt is very familiar with, former San Antonio Spur David Robinson.

Holt was quite happy to share the award in common.

“It's always in good company to be with David Robinson,” Holt said.

[Dex]

What the am I, chopped liver?

[Sal Monella]

That Peter is one sick dude! Congrats.

[Dro210]

Previous award recipients include Barbara Jordan, former First Lady Laura Bush, and, a man Holt is very familiar with, former San Antonio Spur David Robinson.

Holt was quite happy to share the award in common.

“It's always in good company to be with David Robinson,” Holt said.

Yessir....

Way to go Holt!!! Add another one to the ol' trophy case

[TDMVPDPOY]

lol they give him this award cause he open up his wallet this season? hahahaha

hey thats just like a participation award, enjoy it

[#2!]

is there something weird about the country's largest distributor of Cat being named chairman of Texas Parks and Wildlife? I mean obviously Holt is someone who can lead a successful company, but it seems unusually coincidental that so much public land is controlled by the owner of a land development equipment company.

[spursdotcom]

http://www.nba.com/spurs/multimedia/091223_holt.html

[imagevo]

is there something weird about the country's largest distributor of Cat being named chairman of Texas Parks and Wildlife? I mean obviously Holt is someone who can lead a successful company, but it seems unusually coincidental that so much public land is controlled by the owner of a land development equipment company.

The reason he wants to expand parks is probably because he realizes the negative effects of the construction equipment he sells on the environment. But, construction equipment must be sold because it is beneficial to development which is necessary due to an expanding population. If Holt did not sell construction equipment, someone else would because of its demand. It's great that Holt has a big picture view of Texas and understands what our state needs.

+1 To Peter Holt