Dear John,
I need to apologize. We are about eight months into the campaign and I came to the realization that I never properly introduced myself. You might know me as Tony Buzbee the Mayoral Candidate or Tony Buzbee the Lawyer, but I think it's equally important that you know where I came from and what I'm all about. I was born and raised in Atlanta, a small town with a population of about 1,300, in Northeast Texas. I was grew up on a farm. We had hogs, chickens, geese, ducks, and also maintained a small garden. My mother was our school bus driver and worked in our high school cafeteria; my father was a union meat-cutter. I came from very humble beginnings. My parents didn't have a lot of money, but they were rich in the things that matter. They taught me the importance of hard work. I have three siblings: Laura, Tim and Jennifer. My older sister, Laura, still lives in Northeast Texas, along with my parents, where she owns a children's boutique. My younger brother, Tim, lives in Australia where he is a professional musician with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. My younger sister, Jennifer, lives in Houston and runs my life - literally.
Growing up, I worked multiple jobs in order to help out at home. My first job was mowing yards. I then was able to start sacking groceries at our local grocery store. Over the summers, I would work two forty-hour a week jobs at two different grocery stores. At points, times were very hard. I'll never forget overhearing my parents' quiet discussions at night over which bills they could afford to pay that month and which they would have to put off. Those memories made me very determined to succeed. I knew with hard work and grit, I could make something of myself.
I was the first person in my family to go to college; I was fortunate enough to get a ROTC scholarship, allowing me to attend Texas A&M University. Upon graduation, I joined the United States Marines as an Infantry Officer and led Recon Marines all over the globe, including the Persian Gulf and Somalia. When I left the Marines as a Captain, I was accepted to the University of Houston Law Center where I graduated summa cum laude. After serving as a federal judge's briefing attorney, I opened my own law firm. Over the last twenty years, I have handled cases all across the country. I was named by Texas Lawyer as the Attorney of the Year for 2015.
In addition to my legal work, I have been fortunate to open and operate several successful businesses. I've purchased hotels from bankruptcy, renovated them and operated them. I've run a successful residential house rental business, along with apartment buildings and office buildings. I've served on the board of Hometown Bank, where we grew the stock price more than six times. I have been proud to put the money I've made back into the community, supporting charities dealing with homelessness, the stray animal population, and child welfare. I'm also proud of the work I’ve done for Houston Children's Charity, where I have given away fifteen handicapped accessible vans to help those kids who are homebound. I also am proud to have served for six years as a member of the Texas A&M University Board of Regents, managing eleven universities and seven state agencies, with a budget of more than $4 billion.
What I am MOST proud of, in fact, what I am most thankful for, is that I have been fortunate to raise four wonderful children: Elizabeth "Liz" (22), Anthony (20), Mary "Flower" (18), and Robert (16). They are what motivate me everyday to make Houston a better place.
I know that, if you have followed our campaign, we have a lot of work to do. I hope you will follow our efforts. I’ve never shied away from hard work, and look forward to the challenge. I know that, together, we can make the city work again for all residents.
Sincerely,
Tony Buzbee
Candidate for Mayor of Houston
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Paid Political Advertising Paid for by Tony Buzbee for Mayor, Gilbert Garcia Treasurer
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