HR0744 LRB096 14881 KXB 29747 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, In 1934, at the urging of B.F. Kinder and 20 other
3 businessmen, the Des Plaines Businessmen's Association was
4 formed and in 1946 became the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce
5 and Industry; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and Industry
7 is a 600-plus member, independent, non-profit organization
8 committed to creating and maintaining a positive business
9 climate as well as serving the business community by offering a
10 wide range of programs that give members the opportunity to
11 network with other businesses and consumers, keep members
12 up-to-date on legislative issues, and provide educational
13 seminars and speakers on a host of business topics; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The City of Des Plaines is located 17 miles
15 northwest of Chicago and is home to several Fortune 500
16 companies and international businesses with a blend of
17 commercial, financial, industrial, professional,
18 service-oriented, and retail sectors, with an employee base
19 supporting high-tech, industry, manufacturing, and
20 distribution concerns, and serviced by interstate highways,
21 METRA rail line, PACE bus, and all forms of business, freight,
22 and passenger flights at nearby O'Hare International Airport;
23 and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1930s, the Businessmen's
2 Association was the instrument that created a system of credit
3 for businesses and focused its attention on improving commerce
4 and improving the community of Des Plaines; the Association
5 hosted events that raised funding for a new fire truck, to
6 purchase trees to beautify the town, and a Christmas program
7 was started to entertain the children of Des Plaines, as well
8 as programs to support the needs of the servicemen of World War
9 II; and
 
10     WHEREAS, In an effort to help a growing Des Plaines, the
11 Association assisted in the expansion of parking in the
12 downtown shopping area, installing parking meters, and
13 building a parking lot suitable for customers; and
 
14     WHEREAS, From the 1950s on, the Chamber focused on
15 attracting more business to the city and working with the C&NW
16 Railroad to obtain a commuter lot for additional parking; the
17 Chamber was instrumental in obtaining bonds to subsidize the
18 installation of street lights, to have sidewalks installed, and
19 to have new postal facilities installed for the City of Des
20 Plaines; and
 
21     WHEREAS, With the growth of the City, the Chamber
22 membership also expanded its interest to State and national

 

 

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1 levels as well by taking an active role in the U.S. Chamber and
2 Illinois Chamber to keep members better informed; in 1980, the
3 Chamber assisted Maine West High School in bringing
4 presidential candidate Ronald Reagan to Des Plaines to meet
5 with the community; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Women have played an important role in the
7 Chamber's history; in 1981, long-time Des Plaines resident
8 Marilyn McDermid was the first woman hired as the executive
9 director of the Chamber; the first woman to serve as president
10 was Martha Atherton of RACO Industrial Corp., elected in 1984;
11 and
 
12     WHEREAS, In 1989 the Chamber established a not-for-profit
13 foundation to provide educational programs for the business
14 community and community-at-large; the foundation annually
15 awards scholarships to graduating high school seniors,
16 provides support to community programs such as the Des Plaines
17 Public Library reading program, the Arts Council scholarship
18 fund, Maryville Academy and the Disabled Students Scholarship
19 fund, and educational and certificate programs to their
20 membership through Oakton Community College Business Institute
21 and Harper College; and
 
22     WHEREAS, The 2009 Board of Directors include: President
23 James Macchiaroli (Ace Hardware), President-Elect Herman Zelk

 

 

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1 (Solutions Networking Corp.), Treasurer Chuck Wiercinski
2 (McLennan Commercial Properties), Secretary Sandra Norlin (Des
3 Plaines Public Library), Past-President Alan Czarnik (Copyco
4 Solutions, Inc.), Mike Charewicz (Accurate Auto Clinic, Inc.),
5 Michael Conlin (City of Des Plaines), Christina Corona
6 (Residence Inn by Marriott), Carl Costanza (Oakton Community
7 College), Patrick Groody (Abbott Laboratories), Dr. Janet
8 Horton (Horton Wellness & Chiropractic), Sharon Lynch (Century
9 21 Elm), Toby Radcliffe (AmericaUnited Bank), Jeffrey Rozovics
10 (Rozovics and Wojcicki, PC), Barbara Schuldt (Resource MFG),
11 Scott Seifert (Edward Jones Investments), Aaron Sobel (UOP),
12 Heather Wahl-Cieslik (R.C. Wahl Jewelers), and Executive
13 Director Barbara Ryan; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and Industry
15 provides the following community programs: Community Guide and
16 Directory, Santa's Official Arrival, Annual 'Touch-a-Truck',
17 Community Enhancement Awards, Mayor's Annual Address to
18 Business, Safe Saturday Halloween Trick or Treating,
19 S.C.O.R.E. Counseling, Des Plaines Street Maps, the Welcome
20 program for New Residents and New Businesses, Growing With
21 Pride program, and the Home, Health, and Consumer Expo; and
 
22     WHEREAS, The Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and Industry
23 maintains membership in the following organizations: the U.S.
24 Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the

 

 

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1 Illinois Manufacturers Association (IMA), the Illinois Retail
2 Manufacturers Association (IRMA), the Illinois Association of
3 Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE), the Chicagoland
4 Chamber of Commerce, and the Northern Illinois Business
5 Advocacy Coalition (NIBAC); therefore, be it
 
6     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
7 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
8 congratulate the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and Industry
9 members on this historic anniversary; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11 presented to President James Macchiaroli on behalf of the Des
12 Plaines Chamber of Commerce as a symbol of our respect and
13 esteem.