WHEREAS, Gary Alexander is a native Washingtonian, born in Seattle
and educated at two of Washington state's finest institutions of higher
learning, the University of Washington and Pacific Lutheran University,
making him not a three dog night, but a solo Dog Knight; and
WHEREAS, Gary's business career spans over 40 years as an
industrial engineer for Boeing, a financial manager with five state
agencies, CFO of Behavioral Health Resources, regional finance officer
for Philip Environmental Services, and Auditor and Deputy Auditor for
Thurston County; and
WHEREAS, Gary's community involvement includes former and current
positions with the Board of Directors for Thurston County Boys and
Girls Club, the North Thurston Kiwanis, the Board of Directors for the
Washington State Historical Society, the Advisory Board for Pacific
Lutheran University School of Business, the Advisory Board for the
Washington Small Business Development Council, Chairman and Board
Member of the Washington State Employees Credit Union, Member of the
Lewis County Flood Control Task Force, Board Member for the Thurston
County Economic Development Council, and as an Olympia Port
Commissioner; and
WHEREAS, Since 1996, various citizens in the 20th and 2nd
Legislative Districts, which included Lewis, Thurston, and Pierce
counties, have at times been enlightened with extraterrestrial
knowledge leading them to choose Gary Alexander to represent their
interests in the state House; and
WHEREAS, Gary's business experience and penchant for recalling
inconsequential and minute budgetary matters led him to be known as The
Budget Guru, The Walking Abacus, The Baron of Braces, The Monarch of
Multivariable Analysis, The King of Kappa, The Big Kahuna of Brackets,
The Emperor of Essential Discontinuity, and The Master of Mathematical
Matrices; and
WHEREAS, Gary actually knows and understands the following terms:
Per Annum, Interquartile Range, Disjoint Sets, Harmonic Mean, Interval
Notation, Transcendental Numbers, Normalizing a Vector, Binomial
Coefficients, Modular Equivalence, and Box and Whisker Plots; and
WHEREAS, Gary is smarter than you; and
WHEREAS, Gary's quick mind, warm smile, and hearty laugh endeared
him to members and staff on both sides of the aisle and in both
legislative chambers; and
WHEREAS, Gary's love for the legislative institution, his respect
for all members and staff, his eagerness to serve the public, and his
genuine distaste for partisan bickering made him a unique and stalwart
member of the Washington State House of Representatives;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State House of
Representatives honor and recognize Gary Alexander for his many years
of service, his poignant floor speeches, his mathematical acumen, and
his demeanor as a true statesman; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be
immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of
Representatives to Gary Alexander, his lovely wife, Donna, and their
two small dogs, Sophie and Molly.