Dr. William Fitzgibbon III, Dean of the College of Technology, presented Congressman Ted Poe with an "Excellence Award" recently in appreciation of the Congressman's support of Texas Gulf Coast manufacturers in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
David Walker, Director of the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center, initiated the award, stating "If anybody knows how important it is to buoy members of the local manufacturing industry affected by the brutality of Mother Nature, it's Congressman Poe." TMACGC, a center associated with the College of Technology, sent engineers to conduct free on-site assessments and technical assistance, as well as training and consulting services to manufacturers affected by Hurricane Rita. "TMAC not only plays an important role in enhancing the competitiveness of our manufacturing enterprise, but as its work in the storm aftermath demonstrates, it also can contribute to the recovery of manufacturers from natural disasters," said Dean Fitzgibbon. The ceremony took place at the AD Bruce Religion Center on the University of Houston campus.