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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Michael J. Birck; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Michael Birck attended Purdue University, where
5he played varsity baseball and graduated with a bachelor's
6degree in electrical engineering in 1960; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Michael Birck served as CEO of Tellabs, Inc.,
8which he co-founded with 5 others during a brainstorming
9session at his kitchen table in 1975; the company began making
10echo suppressors designed to improve telephone reception,
11which led to the company developing an echo canceller in 1981;
12by 2001, the company made $3 billion in sales and had 8,900
13employees; he retired from his role as CEO of the company in
142004 and retired as chairman in 2013; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Michael Birck was a member of Purdue University's
16Board of Trustees for 14 years until he stepped down from the
17position in 2013; his philanthropic efforts included gifts of
18more than $30 million to the University's nanotechnology center
19and its golf complex; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Michael Birck was a family man who enjoyed playing
21golf and watching baseball games, both the Chicago Cubs and

 

 

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1those of his grandchildren; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Michael Birck was the beloved husband of Katherine
3Birck (nee Royer); the loving father of Kevin (Laura) Birck,
4Joni (Charles) Stevenson, and Christopher (Christine) Birck;
5the cherished grandfather of Ian Stevenson, Colleen Stevenson,
6Morgan Birck, Mackenzie Birck, Hannah Stevenson, Christopher
7"CJ" Birck, and Keely Stevenson; the dear brother of Barbara
8(Louis) Roehm, Patrick (Nancy) Birck, Jon (Karen) Birck, and
9Vickie (Ed) McDevitt; the brother-in-law of Betty Shepherd and
10Joan Smith; and the cherished uncle and good friend of many;
11therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his
14family and friends, mourn the passing of Michael J. Birck; and
15be it further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to the family of Michael Birck as an expression of
18our sympathy.