Jack Morris Rains is a Houston, Texas, attorney who was the 95th Secretary of State of Texas, having served from 1987 to 1989. He left the position to contest unsuccessfully for the Republicangubernatorial nomination in 1990. He lost to businessman Clayton W. Williams, Jr., of Midland, who was then narrowly defeated in the general election by the DemocratAnn Willis Richards, then the state treasurer. Other candidates in the field with Rains and Williams were Kent Hance, a former congressman and previously a Democrat, and Tom Luce, a Dallas lawyer. Rains, a native of Waco, has served on numerous public boards, including the chairmanship of the board of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority. Professionally, Rains is of counsel to the law firm Gray Reed & McGraw LLP, with offices in Houston, Dallas and Waco. He is also a management consultant to a number of companies including Ecology & Environment, Inc., a scientific environmental firm that practices on a global basis. He was a founder of Tuscany L.L.C., a merchant banking firm, whose clients include E-Stamp, the fifth licensee in the history of the U.S. Postal Service, whose technology was acquired by Stamps.com. Rains was also a founder and Director of Tanglewood Bank in Houston, since acquired by Northern Trust of Chicago. After first practicing law in Houston, he was a founder and served as President and then chairman of the board of directors of 3D/International, the Houston headquarters design and management firm. During his tenure, 3D/International grew to execute annually over a billion dollars in construction volume, generated from projects located across the United States and around the world. He accepted the "E" Award from President Reagan on behalf of 3D/International for boosting exports by over $4 Billion Dollars. Named to Who's Who in American Law, American Real Estate, and Who's Who in America and in the World, Rains has received numerous other honors. In 1998 was named an Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects, and a Lifetime Director of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. In 1999 he was named a "Person of Distinction" by The Museum of the Gulf Coast. In 1960, Jack Rains earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas A&M University, and named a "Distinguished Alumnus", in 1987. He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1967 from the University of Houston, College of Law, and named a "Distinguished Alumnus" of the University and an "Outstanding Graduate" of the College of Law.
