MCALLEN, Texas - Leading elected officials from South Texas have led the tributes to Texas-Mexico border champion Jake Fuller.
The longtime leader of the Border Health Caucus died last week at the age of 83.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar of Laredo said: “I’m deeply saddened to hear that Jake Fuller has passed away. Jake was a good friend who helped pioneer the Border Health Caucus. I had the privilege of working with him to expand access to quality, affordable health care across South Texas. May he rest in peace. Jake and his family are in my prayers.”
State Sen. Juan Hinojosa of McAllen is slated to give an address at a memorial service for Fuller. It will be held October 12, 2024, at First United Methodist Church in McAllen.
“I am saddened by the passing of Jake Fuller. He was always full of energy and focused on his goals. Until the end, Jake worked tirelessly and was a strong advocate for his healthcare clients. I was privileged to work with him on many of those issues. Jake was a longtime friend and supporter of mine. He will be greatly missed. May he rest in peace and be in Heaven,” Hinojosa said.
Around 20 years ago, Hinojosa worked with Fuller and healthcare consultant Carlos Zaffirini, Jr., to thwart the introduction of managed care in South Texas.
Zaffirini said: “I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend, Jake Fuller, whose kindness, and thoughtful spirit touched the lives of everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. Having met Jake when I was 16, I was fortunate to have his unwavering support and guidance for over two decades, a testament to the incredible person he was. His contributions to our company from its inception were invaluable, reflecting his dedication and visionary approach to every endeavor he undertook. Jake's impact on public policy in South Texas, especially in McAllen, is immeasurable. His thoughtful leadership and commitment to the community have left a lasting legacy that will continue to benefit the region for years to come.”
Tom Banning, chief executive officer and executive vice president of the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, said he would remember Jake Fuller for his boundless energy.
“No matter how dire the situation, Jake was always positive, upbeat and had a smile on his face. He really loved people. It would be an understatement to say he had a big, infectious personality, but he had an even bigger heart,” Banning said.
“I’m not sure if Jake ever met a stranger, but if he did, by the end of their conversation you’d know his whole like story and his authentic love for South Texas. He was passionate about the potential of South Texas and wanted to share his experiences with federal and state policy makers, the media and quite honestly anyone within earshot that was willing to listen.
“He loved to dance and would rarely turn down the opportunity to share a drink and a story, which made for some long nights and tough mornings.”
James C. Moore, is a New York Times best-selling author, from Austin, Texas.
Moore said: “Jake and I took several motorcycle trips together to Big Bend. On the bike, he was like most of us, a boy again, exploring the world outside his backyard. Never stopped smiling. He loved the big Texas sky and the wide-open deserts West of the Pecos. Always full of questions, too. Not afraid to ask about subjects he did not know. Constantly generous. Jake never let anyone pick up a check, no matter how hard they protested. Always kept everyone laughing.
“We had another trip planned this past fall, but he said his back hurt him too much to ride. His friendship was unshakeable. I’ll never forget the night we rode our bikes through a thunderstorm between Marfa and Alpine and I lost sight of him in the storm. An hour later I looked up, and here he came, running down the mountain in a downpour with lightning filling the sky in his wake. His nickname from that day forward was “Lightnin’ Fuller.” I will miss my friend greatly.”
Eduardo 'Eddie' Olivarez is chief administrative officer for Hidalgo County's health and human services departmental. Here is a video interview with Olivarez about his good friend, Jake Fuller:
https://youtu.be/AgmFs4ZCyhc
McAllen-based Hari Namboodiri is president & CEO of Consult Sombrilla, Inc. Namboodiri said: “I am sorry to learn of the passing of Jake Fuller. He was a good friend and a great human being. As a lobbyist and promoter of all the good things that have helped our South Texas community, Jake made a difference in the lives of people as well as organizations. He tried to attend as many community events as he could, his presence bringing a warm smile, positive vibes and happiness to everyone around. A man of integrity, passion and perseverance, Jake will be remembered forever.“”
Harlingen-based Rolando Vela is a former Time Warner Cable public affairs manager, a former Laguna Vista city manager, and current Cameron County Drainage District No. 5 general manager. Vela said: “Jake was my friend. I met him while I was working as a lobbyist for the cable company years ago. He truly cared about the Valley, and you knew where his heart was. He had an unshaken resolve when it came to health care and for doing what is right. I will definitely miss my friend, Jake Fuller.”
Dallas-based Hector M. Flores is a past national president of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Flores said: “Jake was a dear family friend in Dallas, Texas, and always south to improve the plight of the Mexican American community. Thank you for acknowledging his professional work for the downtrodden and disadvantaged communities. He will be missed.”
Dallas-based David Cruz is national communications director of LULAC. Cruz said: “Jake was always positive and willing to contribute to the betterment of his community by getting involved. He made friends easily by acknowledging the attributes and talents of others, rather than himself. A great guy and a wonderful spirit of a human being. I will miss him.”
Public affairs consultant Kim Ross recalls his time working with Jake Fuller in Dallas.
“I first met Jake in 1981 when I took over as the president of the New Car Dealers Association of Metropolitan Dallas. We, of course, met at a bar at a political reception and became fast friends,” Ross said.
“At that time Jake was an executive with the legendary public relations guru, Julian Read. I hired Jake to be public relations manager and promoter of what became the first Dallas Auto Show.
“We ran several successful public relations campaigns, including those promoting the passage of Texas seatbelt law and subsequently the Texas child safety restraint laws, which I helped lobby on behalf of the Texas Automobile Dealers Association.
“During the course of those efforts, Jake and I came up with a public relations campaign to promote child safety restraints, called, ‘Don’t Buck the Odds, Buckle Up.’ This campaign won the prestigious Golden Circle award from the American Society of Association Executives as one of the best PR campaigns in the country. Somewhere either in Jake’s closet or mine is a lovely, large trophy.
“While Jake will be remembered for his steadfast border health advocacy, he was an accomplished and professional public relations executive long before he added to that skillset, his abilities as a lobbyist and political strategist.
“Among many things I loved about Jake was his mastery of the art of misdirection. He was often underestimated. His East Texas backslapping good old boy persona blended with his hermano abrazo camouflaged the cunning mind of a sharp political analyst.
“When I moved to Austin in 1986 as the head lobbyist for the Texas Medical Association, I, along with a few others, convinced Jake to come south. He kept going and landed in Hidalgo County.
“I further convinced him to run the Texas Medical Association’s recently conceived Border Health Caucus as a means of providing methodical, grassroots engagement and organization of the medical communities, up and down the Valley as trained and motivated advocates for border health needs that far too often were overlooked in Austin.
“While there are many, many stories of success, some of which the Rio Grande Guardian has mentioned, it was our Day of Awareness campaign, which came from a meeting in a doctor’s office in McAllen, that created the grassroots surge that was ultimately the reason the constitutional propositions passed. They were one of a kind, the only ones in the country that limited medical malpractice liability. The propositions narrowly passed, with the South Texas border communities making up the margin that was lost in urban Texas across the state.
“I often reminded Jake that he was a role model for me because no matter how often he got knocked down or tripped himself up — as was sometimes the case — he always got back up with a smile on his face. He had true grit.”
Rio Grande Valley-based Tilmin Welch was president of the Professional Bondsman of Texas from 1992 to 1994. From 1997 he was the association’s liaison on legislative issues for many years. He recalled Jake Fuller’s time as a lobbyist for PBT.
“Jake was one of those truly rare assets. He was kind of a hidden gem if you will. For the bail bondsmen, he always seemed to work… and I don’t want to say this in a way that sounds deceiving… but it’s like he always worked in the shadows. You know what I'm saying? He had a quiet way of giving people information that they needed and getting information that you as a client would need. I know that he was a very dependable person.
“I was talking to Senator Hinojosa about Jake and our association with him during the period we had him. And he was one of two lobbyists. There was another one named Jim Warren who worked with Starcom Consultants, Jake’s company. So, at any rate, Senator Hinojosa reminded me, he said, you know, really, Tilmin, what you guys did back then, under your leadership as the legislative chair and Jake as your lobbyist, you were really the forerunners of starting bail reform.
“I hadn't really looked at it that way, but we did pass a lot of bail laws that weren't just one-sided. They were good public policy. And I was always very proud of that. Jake was on board with us when we passed continuing education for bail bondsmen.”
Welch continued: “Jake really was one of a kind. I know we hear people say that a lot, but Jake had a very rare talent. He was very likable. I don't believe I ever saw him at odds with anyone maybe other than me. And I say that with tongue-in-cheek because it was an amicable deal, because I was putting more pressure on him to get me information quicker than he could. But he will be truly missed.”
Welch said Fuller was always dependable for PBT at the state Capitol. That is, unless Fuller’s beloved physicians were in town.
“I remember those days when the doctors came to the Capitol. They called them White Coat Tuesdays. Those where the only days I couldn't find Jake. He was taking care of his doctors.”
Starcom Associates, Jake’s company, were PBT’s lobbyists for a decade or so, Welch recalled.
“I remember Jake had Jim Warren working with him. I'll tell you Jim was a wordsmith. He knew the (legislative) rules probably as good or better than any legislator I've ever met. Especially the rules of the House. Boy, he was a force to be reckoned with.
“I met both of those guys… actually, I met Jake some time before ’95. But Jake, I believe, actually came to work with us officially in ’97 with Jim. Jim passed away, if I am not mistaken, in 2007 or 2008 and Jake, I believe, worked through the 2009 legislative session with us. So that was a pretty long relationship.
“And, by the way, Jake always helped. That was another unique thing about Jake. If he liked you, and I don't know anybody who did not like him, but if he liked you… it seemed like every time I called on him, he was always very, very willing to help. And money wasn't the first criteria that he was thinking about. He was just one of those guys that was just genuinely wanted to help and was genuinely liked.”
Welch said hiring lobbyists who were ex-reporters was always an experience.
“I believe, if I'm not mistaken, Jake was an old newspaper man himself. I had the pleasure of working… before I met Jake… there was another lobbyist that we had back in the early 90s, a fella named Bennie Bock from New Braunfels, Texas. Bennie was a former House member and owned Bluebonnet Ford and some other business deals in New Braunfels. And he had a newspaper guy… I can see his face, but I can't remember his name… from Palestine, Texas. And what I found was, working with those fellas from the newspaper, sometimes they can say things in a way that Tillman Welch can’t. If I said it, it might be offensive. But not the old newspaper guys. And so, Jake was able to get our points across very strongly without offending either side.”
Welch added: “Jake was one of those guys who could reach across the aisle and work with others and construct something that was good public policy forever. That's a rare talent. Jake had that rare talent. He could work across the aisle.”
Dr. Manuel Acosta of El Paso said Jake Fuller deserves a lot of credit for establishing the Border Health Caucus as an important affiliate to the Texas Medical Association.
“Jake was a very friendly person, very thoughtful. Through the Border Health Caucus, he helped us physicians organize ourselves. Over the years we were able to accomplish a lot of things and achieve many legislative victories, and Jake deserves a lot of the credit. He was a great companion and friend and I really enjoyed working with him,” Acosta said.
Asked why BHC was important, Acosta said: “It was important because the challenges associated with healthcare along the border were and still are unique. We worked really hard to correct those deficiencies and Jake was with us every step of the way.”
Another former chairman of BHC was Dr. Luis Benavides of Laredo. Like Acosta, Benavides is keen to acknowledge the impact of Jake Fuller.
“Jake was with the Border Health Caucus from the very beginning. Basically, he was the foundation of it. He was always gathering us, getting us together, not just physicians but legislators as well, organizing meetings where we would discuss and act on the important topics, even getting us together with our friends in Mexico. It was all about collaboration in order to improve the health of border region residents,” Benavides said.
Benavides said Fuller will be sorely missed by physicians up and down the Texas-Mexico border.
“Jake was well liked by everyone. He certainly made great relationships. And he kept them,” Benavides said.
“And another thing: Jake did a great job at balancing things. He knew we were not always going to get our way, especially in a legislative session. But many of the important wins we secured came about thanks to Jake and his hard work, especially things like tort reform that brought a significant improvement to access to care along the border.”
Asked about Fuller’s involvement in delaying the arrival of managed care in the South Texas region, Benavides said: “Jake was instrumental in getting the legislature to impose a moratorium. That was important because it allowed us to get ready for the changes that were going to occur. It afforded us the opportunity to see those systems tested elsewhere in the state. We saw some of the pitfalls within the system as it was initially being implemented and it allowed the state to improve the system prior to its implementation in South Texas.”
Benavides added: “Somehow we are going to have to try and continue Jake’s legacy of calling attention to the unique challenges we face as healthcare professionals working on the Texas-Mexico border.”
Jake Fuller's family has posted this obituary:
Jacob Creth “Jake” Fuller, 83, of McAllen, Texas, passed away on March 20, 2024. He was born on December 27, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York.
During Jake’s childhood, his father worked for the FBI and his family moved to many places throughout the US, including San Juan, Puerto Rico, McAllen, Texas and San Francisco, California.
He graduated High School in 1959 at Abraham Lincoln High School, in San Francisco. Jake went to East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas and graduated in 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.
He had a successful career in Public Relations from 1964 to 1980, working for various firms in the Dallas Metroplex, including Titche’s, Fairchild Publications of New York, Women’s Wear Daily and Men’s Wear magazines.He also worked for public relations specialist Kim Ross. In 1980, he opened his consulting business, Starcom Consultants, Inc., first consulting in public relations with companies such as Dallas Area Rapid Transit, among others. Later he transitioned to lobbying and moved to McAllen. There, he dedicated his lobbying interests to Health Care, Bail Bonds, among many various other issues until his death.
He is survived by his Longtime Companion, Luisa Fuller, Son, Jay Fuller, Daughter, Julie Fuller, (Eric Huntley), Brent Fuller (Michelle Fuller), Stepson Enrique Cardenas (Fiancee Katie Bechert)
Grandson Bladen Fuller, (Fiancee Parker Geers), and Jaden Fuller Sister-in-Law, Linda Fuller
Jake was preceded in Death by his parents, Jacob L. Fuller and Janet M. Fuller As well as his brother, James H. Fuller.
Jake loved riding his Harley Davidson Trike Motorcycle, watching movies, especially old Westerns, reading political thrillers, and engaging in political discussions, especially as it relates to his work on the border.
He was an active member of McAllen First United Methodist Church.
A Memorial Service will be held at McAllen First United Methodist Church on October 12, 2024 at 11 AM. There will be a graveside service at Rosemound cemetery in Commerce, Texas on October 13th, at 2 PM.
In lieu of flowers, Contributions can be made to the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), McAllen First United Methodist Church, and/or First Presbyterian Church, Commerce.
Kreidler Funeral Home is assisting us with the Cremation and Obituary.
