Changes

On a Jaycees trip to [[Washington, D.C.]], Reese met former U.S. Representative Brooks Hays, an [[Arkansas]] Democrat who was an assistant to [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].  A theologically and politically liberal figure within the [[Southern Baptist Convention]],<ref>Terry D. Goddard, "Southern Social Justice: Brooks Hays (1898-1981) and the Little Rock School Crisis," ''Baptist History and Heritage'' (Spring 2003), Website: findarticles.com, accessed November 11, 2010.</ref> Hays acquired national attention in 1958, when he was defeated for reelection by a write-in candidate, the ophthalmologist and former radio announcer Dale Alford because of Hays' support for the desegregation of Central High School  in [[Little Rock]].<ref>James D. Baker, ''Brooks Hays'' (Macon, [[Georgia]]: Mercer University Press, 1989), pp. 71-102.</ref><ref>In 1966, Hays resigned from Johnson's staff to run unsuccessfully for the Arkansas Democratic gubernatorial nomination but lost to James D. Johnson, who was then defeated by the [[Moderate Republican]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]].</ref> Reese recalls that Hays told the Jaycees that Washington had become powerful in relation to the states because national leaders can at an objective distance usually make more accurate professional decisions than can local people directly involved in civic matters. Reese describes the Hays philosophy as totally counter to his own [[conservative]], decentralized approach to public matters.<ref>Reese, p. 131.</ref>

On a Jaycees trip to [[Washington, D.C.]], Reese met former U.S. Representative Brooks Hays, an [[Arkansas]] Democrat who was an assistant to [[U.S. President]] [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].  A theologically and politically liberal figure within the [[Southern Baptist Convention]],<ref>Terry D. Goddard, "Southern Social Justice: Brooks Hays (1898-1981) and the Little Rock School Crisis," ''Baptist History and Heritage'' (Spring 2003), Website: findarticles.com, accessed November 11, 2010.</ref> Hays acquired national attention in 1958, when he was defeated for reelection by a write-in candidate, the ophthalmologist and former radio announcer Dale Alford because of Hays' support for the desegregation of Central High School  in [[Little Rock]].<ref>James D. Baker, ''Brooks Hays'' (Macon, [[Georgia]]: Mercer University Press, 1989), pp. 71-102.</ref><ref>In 1966, Hays resigned from Johnson's staff to run unsuccessfully for the Arkansas Democratic gubernatorial nomination but lost to James D. Johnson, who was then defeated by the [[Moderate Republican]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]].</ref> Reese recalls that Hays told the Jaycees that Washington had become powerful in relation to the states because national leaders can at an objective distance usually make more accurate professional decisions than can local people directly involved in civic matters. Reese describes the Hays philosophy as totally counter to his own [[conservative]], decentralized approach to public matters.<ref>Reese, p. 131.</ref>

On that same trip to Washington, Reese met President Johnson, Teamsters President [[James Hoffa]], and future U.S. President [[Gerald Ford]], then a U.S. representative from [[Grand Rapids]], [[Michigan]]. Some ten years later, Reese would be running for Congress on the ticket with Ford and vice-presidential running-mate, [[U.S. Senator]] [[Robert J. Dole]] of [[Kansas]], but all went down to defeat at the hands of the Democrats [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Walter Mondale]], and George Herman Mahon.<ref>Reese, pp. 131-132.</ref>

On that same trip to Washington, Reese met President Johnson, Teamsters President [[Jimmy Hoffa]], and future U.S. President [[Gerald Ford]], then a U.S. representative from Grand Rapids, [[Michigan]]. Some ten years later, Reese would be running for Congress on the ticket with Ford and vice-presidential running-mate, [[U.S. Senator]] [[Robert J. Dole]] of [[Kansas]], but all went down to defeat at the hands of the Democrats [[Jimmy Carter]], [[Walter Mondale]], and George Herman Mahon.<ref>Reese, pp. 131-132.</ref>

In 1965-1966, before Reese reached the maximum departure age of thirty-six from the Jaycees, he was named vice president of the national organization at the convention in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York]]. He was assigned to monitor Jaycee activities in five states: [[Utah]], [[New Mexico]], [[Arizona]], Colorado, and Texas. He was also named to formulate the Jaycees "government affairs" portfolio, having worked in that endeavor with conservative activist Clymer Wright, a former newspaper publisher from Fort Bend and Harris counties in [[suburb]]an [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]. In 1991, Wright pushed successfully for  municipal term limits in Houston.<ref>Reese, p. 132.</ref><ref>Clymer Wright was one of the unsuccessful Republican candidates in the 1993 [[special election]] for the [[U.S. Senate]] to fill the seat vacated earlier by [[Lloyd Bentsen.]], who became [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] in the [[Bill Clinton]] administration. Like Jim Reese, Wright had been a Reagan backer since 1968. In 1982, Wright launched an unsuccessful campaign to convince Reagan to fire the Houstonian [[James Baker]] as the White House chief of staff. Reagan not only retained Baker but later elevated him to the position of secretary of the treasury.</ref>

In 1965-1966, before Reese reached the maximum departure age of thirty-six from the Jaycees, he was named vice president of the national organization at the convention in [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York]]. He was assigned to monitor Jaycee activities in five states: [[Utah]], [[New Mexico]], [[Arizona]], Colorado, and Texas. He was also named to formulate the Jaycees "government affairs" portfolio, having worked in that endeavor with conservative activist Clymer Wright, a former newspaper publisher from Fort Bend and Harris counties in [[suburb]]an [[Houston, Texas|Houston]]. In 1991, Wright pushed successfully for  municipal term limits in Houston.<ref>Reese, p. 132.</ref><ref>Clymer Wright was one of the unsuccessful Republican candidates in the 1993 [[special election]] for the [[U.S. Senate]] to fill the seat vacated earlier by [[Lloyd Bentsen.]], who became [[United States Secretary of the Treasury]] in the [[Bill Clinton]] administration. Like Jim Reese, Wright had been a Reagan backer since 1968. In 1982, Wright launched an unsuccessful campaign to convince Reagan to fire the Houstonian [[James Baker]] as the White House chief of staff. Reagan not only retained Baker but later elevated him to the position of secretary of the treasury.</ref>

Reese served as president of the Odessa Young Men's Christian Association. At the time Odessa was the largest U.S. city not to have a YMCA. So a capital campaign was launched to build the modern facility on University Boulevard. The land was donated by the firm Houston Endowment of Houston, Texas.<ref>Reese, p. 132.</ref>  Odessa oilman [[Bill Noël]], a Fort Worth native who had been named in 1963 as "Outstanding Citizen of Odessa,"<ref>"Noel, William Douglas" (1914-1987), ''Handbook of Texas'' on-line, Website: tshaonline.org/handbook/online, [Accessed November 13, 2010]</ref> headed the drive to tap large donors. Former state Attorney General John Ben Shepperd, a leading political and civic activist who maintained residences in Odessa in West Texas and Gladewater in East Texas,<ref>George E. Christian, "Shepperd, John Ben, ''The Handbook of Texas'' On-line,'' [[Texas State Historical Association]], Website: tshaonline.org, accessed November 11, 2010.</ref>  developed a plan to reach smaller contributors who would upon completion of the YMCA feel a stake in its success. Reese describes Shepperd as "the best organizer I ever knew. He started his meetings at 7 a.m. when most could not devise an excuse to avoid attending fundraising activities.<ref>Reese, p. 132.</ref>

Reese served as president of the Odessa Young Men's Christian Association. At the time Odessa was the largest U.S. city not to have a YMCA. So a capital campaign was launched to build the modern facility on University Boulevard. The land was donated by the firm Houston Endowment of Houston, Texas.<ref>Reese, p. 132.</ref>  Odessa oilman Bill Noël, a Fort Worth native who had been named in 1963 as "Outstanding Citizen of Odessa,"<ref>"Noel, William Douglas" (1914-1987), ''Handbook of Texas'' on-line, Website: tshaonline.org/handbook/online, [Accessed November 13, 2010]</ref> headed the drive to tap large donors. Former state Attorney General John Ben Shepperd, a leading political and civic activist who maintained residences in Odessa in West Texas and Gladewater in East Texas,<ref>George E. Christian, "Shepperd, John Ben, ''The Handbook of Texas'' On-line,'' [[Texas State Historical Association]], Website: tshaonline.org, accessed November 11, 2010.</ref>  developed a plan to reach smaller contributors who would upon completion of the YMCA feel a stake in its success. Reese describes Shepperd as "the best organizer I ever knew. He started his meetings at 7 a.m. when most could not devise an excuse to avoid attending fundraising activities.<ref>Reese, p. 132.</ref>

==The mayoral years==

==The mayoral years==