The Honorable Ruth Jones McClendon, state representative, presents Texas House Resolution No. 279 to Dr. Leonard E. Lawrence, associate dean for student affairs in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The resolution recognizes his longtime service to the community.
Dr. Lawrence recently completed 12 years as a member of the board of the Texas Youth Commission and was the board chairman for more than eight years. He served the commission under three Texas governors.
A retired lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Air Force, Dr. Lawrence joined the Health Science Center in 1972. Board certified in psychiatry (1970) and child psychiatry (1971), he is a professor in the departments of psychiatry, pediatrics and family and community medicine at the Health Science Center.
Dr. Lawrence also is on the executive committee of United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County and formerly chaired that organization’s board. He is a past president of the San Antonio Area Foundation. He served as chair of the management board of San Antonio Fighting Back, a major substance abuse intervention project.
The surprise presentation took place during a meeting Dr. Lawrence was chairing for the “Take a Seat at the Carver” Campaign Steering Committee. This is a campaign to improve the Little Carver Civic Center at 226 N. Hackberry St.
“It needed to be a surprise because Dr. Lawrence will not let us do things like this for him,” Rep. McClendon said to the board members. She said his service on the Texas Youth Commission has been exemplary and will be missed.
“Lenny has been a tremendous resource to the San Antonio community with his wonderful ideas, his time and his money,” she said. “He and his wife, Barbara, are a premier couple in this city.”
