TO CONGRATULATE FORMER SPEAKER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE HONORABLE RAMON SCHWARTZ, JR., UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS NINETIETH BIRTHDAY, AND TO PROCLAIM MAY 25, 2015, "RAMON SCHWARTZ DAY" IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, the Honorable Ramon Schwartz, Jr. is a distinguished former public official who served the South Carolina House of Representatives in many capacities, including service as Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

Whereas, son of the late Raymon Schwartz and Madge Grossman Schwartz, Speaker Schwartz was born in Sumter on May 25, 1925. He graduated from Edmunds High School and earned an A.B. and LL.B. from the University of South Carolina; and

Whereas, Speaker Schwartz honorably served the United States in the European Theater in World War II; and

Whereas, Speaker Schwartz began practicing law in 1949 at the law firm of Schwartz and Schwartz, and he currently practices at Schwartz McLeod DuRant and Jordan; and

Whereas, Speaker Schwartz married Rosa Weinberg on June 24, 1950. The couple was blessed with four children, Barbara (Burchstead), Ray, Milton, and Bill; and

Whereas, Speaker Schwartz was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1968. He faithfully served as Speaker Pro Tempore until his election as Speaker in 1980, and held the position of Speaker until his retirement in 1986; and

Whereas, Speaker Schwartz continued his service to his community and State through his service as chairman of the Sumter County United Appeal, the Sumter County March of Dimes, the Sumter County Library Board, the Sumter County Bloodmobile Program, the Sumter County Housing Authority, and the Central Carolina Technical College Foundation. He served as president of the Sumter Rotary Club, the Sumter County Bar Association, the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce, the Sumter Junior Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Sumter County Community Chest, and the Sumter Committee for Progress; and

Whereas, he was a member of the University of South Carolina Sumter Foundation Board, a life trustee of the Tuomey Hospital Board, a member of the National Bank of South Carolina Board of Directors, a member of the Carolina Coca Cola Bottling Company Board of Directors, and a city recorder for eight years. He was also on the board of governors of the Sunset Country Club; and

Whereas, throughout his ninety years, Speaker Schwartz has received numerous honors and recognitions. He was named Sumter's Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1958, one of three outstanding state Jaycee presidents, and named Legislator of the Year by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce in 1980. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of South Carolina, The Citadel, and Newberry College. Speaker Schwartz was recognized by the American Legion for his years of outstanding service to the community and State. He also received a legislative award from Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Pee Dee Area Boy Scouts of America, the Citizen of the Year Award from the Council of Education, and the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Greater Sumter Chamber of Commerce; and

Whereas, Speaker Schwartz was named the Sumter Area Gamecock Fan of the Year in 2011 and was inducted into the Gamecock City Society in 2012. He was presented with the Order of the Palmetto by Governor Haley in 2012. The Nettles-Schwartz Center at the University of South Carolina is named after Speaker Schwartz, and a 2006 resolution introduced by the Sumter County Legislative Delegation named a portion of US Highway 76/378 near Shaw Air Force Base in his honor; and

Whereas, Speaker Schwartz is a member of the Church of the Holy Comforter, where he has served on the vestry and as senior warden. He is also a member of the American Legion Sumter Post 15, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3034; and

Whereas, on the celebration of his ninetieth birthday, the members of the House of Representatives find it fitting to celebrate the accomplishments of former Speaker Ramon Schwartz, Jr., and proclaim May 25, 2015, as "Ramon Schwartz Day" in South Carolina. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Ramon Schwartz, Jr. upon the occasion of his ninetieth birthday, and proclaim May 25, 2015, "Ramon Schwartz Day" in South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Honorable Ramon Schwartz, Jr.