Background
McFarland, Bob was born on June 12, 1941 in Oskaloosa, Iowa, United States.
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Bob McFarland
Edit ProfileEducation
University of Texas at Arlington (Bachelor of Business Administration, 1963). Southern Methodist University (Juris Doctor, 1966). Phi Delta Phi. Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1965-1968.
City Attorney, Euless, Texas, since 1974.
Member, Texas House of Representatives, 1977-1982. State Senator, since 1982.
Career
From 1977 to 1983, McFarland served in the Texas House of Representatives from the former districts 32-B and 32-Doctorate in Tarrant County. He then procured his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law, since known as the Dedman School of Law. McFarland was admitted to the bar in 1966.
In 1981, he received the G. J. Sutton Memorial Leadership Award and was named "Legislator of the Year" by the Texas Municipal League.
In civic affairs, McFarland is a former director of the Tarrant County Humane Society and the Arlington Civic Chorus. He is Roman Catholic.
In 1979, 1981, 1983 and 1985, McFarland was ranked among the "Ten Best Legislators" from both chambers by Texas Monthly magazine. In 1986, McFarland objected when the Texas Select Committee on Higher Education, a group appointed by Governor Mark Wells White to consider streamlining of the state"s colleges and universities, proposed that the University of Texas at Arlington be re-defined as a "comprehensive university," with an emphasis on teaching, instead of research.
Many UTA faculty and students believed that the change would have eliminated doctoral programs at the institution.
Mark White vacated the attorney"s general office after one term to challenge, successfully, Republican Governor Bill Clements. In 1991, McFarland was succeeded in the Senate by Chris Harris, also of Arlington, who subsequently was shifted into neighboring District 9. Bob McFarland Park, part of which is heavily wooded, is operated at 410 East Embercrest Drive by the Arlington Parks and Recreation Department and named in his honor.
Achievements
Politics
McFarland, a UTA "Distinguished Alumnus", declared the select committee recommendation "an over-my-dead-body situation." Soon political support was manifested throughout Arlington and Tarrant County. As a two-term departing state representative, McFarland succeeded Senator William C. Meier, a Democrat from Euless in Tarrant County who switched to Republican affiliation and ran unsuccessfully in 1982 against United States. Representative Jim Mattox for Attorney General of Texas.
Membership
Member, Texas House of Representatives, 1977-1982. State Senator, 1982-1991. Member: Arlington (Secretary-Treasurer,1971-1972.
President, 1973), Tarrant County and American Bar Associations.
State Bar of Texas. Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation. Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation.
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Born
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Nationality
United States -
Political Party
Republican party
Education
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1966
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1968