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2011 SESSION

11100044D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 796
Offered February 3, 2011
Celebrating the life of Janie E. Bowen.
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Patrons-- McClellan, Abbott, Albo, Alexander, Anderson, Athey, BaCote, Barlow, Bell, Richard P., Brink, Bulova, Carr, Carrico, Cleaveland, Cline, Cole, Comstock, Cosgrove, Cox, J.A., Cox, M.K., Crockett-Stark, Dance, Ebbin, Edmunds, Englin, Filler-Corn, Garrett, Gilbert, Greason, Habeeb, Herring, Hope, Howell, A.T., Hugo, Iaquinto, Ingram, James, Joannou, Johnson, Jones, Keam, Kilgore, Kory, Landes, LeMunyon, Lewis, Lingamfelter, Loupassi, Marshall, D.W., Marshall, R.G., Massie, May, McQuinn, Merricks, Miller, P.J., Morrissey, Orrock, Phillips, Plum, Pogge, Poindexter, Pollard, Purkey, Robinson, Rust, Scott, E.T., Scott, J.M., Shuler, Sickles, Stolle, Surovell, Tata, Torian, Toscano, Tyler, Villanueva, Ward, Watts, Wilt and Wright
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WHEREAS, the Commonwealth lost a valued public servant when Tax Commissioner Janie Bowen died on June 15, 2010; and

WHEREAS, Janie Bowen began her distinguished career in state government in 1978 as a tax examiner with the Department of Taxation, answering phone calls and responding to correspondence; and

WHEREAS, over the course of her successful career, Janie Bowen served as Director of Tax Policy, Assistant Commissioner for Customer Service, Executive Commissioner for Policy and Administration, and Deputy Secretary of Finance; and

WHEREAS, in 2005 Governor Kaine appointed Janie Bowen as the Commonwealth’s first female Tax Commissioner; and

WHEREAS, Janie Bowen’s career was marked by her passionate devotion to serving the residents of the Commonwealth, which resulted in numerous innovative ideas to better assist taxpayers and employees; and

WHEREAS, Janie Bowen developed the Commonwealth’s model telework program, a Department of Taxation Intranet that helped agency employees communicate more effectively, and the Tax Academy, where new hires train on a variety of jobs to improve department efficiency; and

WHEREAS, a forward-thinking and energetic woman, Janie Bowen also realized that the Department of Taxation needed to reach a younger generation; she had been researching social media as a tool to help new generations understand the Department of Taxation; and

WHEREAS, as head of one of the nation’s largest revenue departments, Janie Bowen was a respected figure across the nation; shortly before her death, she was elected president of the Federation of Tax Administrators and earned an award from the Telework Exchange; and

WHEREAS, a native of Charlottesville, Janie Bowen received a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from the University of Georgia before returning to Charlottesville to receive a master’s degree from the University of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, throughout her life, Janie Bowen shared her love of music and animals with her coworkers, friends, and family and will be greatly missed by her brother, Arthur and his wife, Jackie; niece, Virginia; nephew, Palmer; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; and

WHEREAS, the epitome of a public servant, Janie Bowen left a profound mark on the Department of Taxation and greatly modernized and influenced how it serves the residents of the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of former Tax Commissioner of the Commonwealth, Janie E. Bowen; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Janie E. Bowen as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for her memory.