Texas Retired Teachers Foundation

Please visit the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation www.trtf.org

New Trinity Center Office Building Heralds Work of the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation and TRTA Members

Grand Opening ceremonies, held Nov. 12., 2004, for the Trinity Office Center at 313 E. 12th Street in Austin, celebrated a long list of accomplishments and organizational milestones for Texas retired teachers.

Applause and ovations followed the welcome by Dr. Kenneth Laycock, president of the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF). In January 2000, the TRTA board of directors chaired by Dr. Laycock as president, authorized the creation of TRTF. Dr. Laycock was appointed President of the Foundation, and the TRTA board transferred the building project and the Building Fund Trust to the Foundation. Today, Dr. Laycock and the Foundation board are heralded for their financial administration that raised the building.

The TRTF formed a partnership with Development 2000 Inc. to construct and operate the new $5.5 million building adjacent to the state Capitol. Trinity Office Center adds 29,000 square feet to Austin’s downtown office space. The partnership and leasing to other tenants provided a way for the building to produce income, which in turn also provides free office space for TRTA headquarters.

TRTA owns the lot and has leased it to TRTF for a 99-year period. The Foundation and Development 2000 Inc. have entered into a 30-year limited partnership agreement. Other tenants include University of Texas Medical Offices, Seton Healthcare Systems, and the Texas Association of Builders.

Approximately 350 association members and state leaders gathered for the Grand Opening speeches and a ribbon-cutting in the first-floor garage of the four-story building. State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos was the keynote speaker for the Grand Opening, and he hailed the positive contribution of teachers to his personal development and to his community.

Participants also enjoyed the notably historic speech by Enid Littlefield, the past president of TRTA who with former Executive Director E.L. Galyean established the Building Fund Trust in 1988. Sixteen years later, Enid Littlefield stood at the building site and spoke about the accomplishment of that vision.

Her speech and presence caused a slight pause in the program because so many people wanted to take pictures of her at the podium. Minutes later, the crowd stood up and clapped with a roar of approval as she held the building's ground-breaking shovel.

Jerry Reed, president of Development 2000 Inc., and several officers of the TRTF presented a building plaque recognizing the contributions of Dr. Laycock and Mike Lehr, executive director emeritus of TRTA and TRTF secretary-treasurer.

Presentations also were made by Robert "Bob" Richards, vice president of TRTF and former TRTA president, and Dr. John Webb, TRTF trustee. Jack Felts, current TRTA president led the opening prayer for the ceremonies, and Tom Pritchard, immediate past president, closed the ceremonies with a prayer.

Tim Lee, the new executive director of TRTA, lauded TRTA members for their years of personal contributions, fundraisers, and commitment to building a new association headquarters. He noted that the Trinity Office Center is historically unique, as no other retired teacher organization in the nation can show the outstanding accomplishment of raising a four-story headquarters.

Photos of Trinity Office Center are below with offices of the Texas Retired Teachers Association. The 16-year dream completed, Grand Opening ceremonies held Nov. 12, 2004.

For more information on the Texas Retired Teachers Foundation, call 512.480.3111 or visit www.trtf.org.