HR0290 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0290 LRB101 12068 ALS 59537 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan is a proud daughter of Illinois who was born in Macoupin County, and her family goes back several generations in the State; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan joined the service of the Illinois General Assembly 30 years ago, in 1988, as a staff secretary; she also served on the computer staff, where her first duty was installing hard drives in Wang Computers; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan was quickly promoted to "Lead Operator" and was gifted many pencils to sharpen by senior staff member Dr. Ed Keen; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan was then promoted to Administrative Assistant to the Director of Research, where she capably and efficiently served three directors for nearly 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Over time, Lisa Guinan's institutional knowledge, quick recall, willingness to serve, and calm demeanor became more valuable, and she was promoted to Floor Manager and Legislative Assistant to the Leader; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan has become an indispensable part of the work of the Illinois House of Representatives; she has served for many years on the floor every minute the House is in session and has been constantly on hand to answer member questions and provide them with guidance on bills moving through Second Reading and Third Reading; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan's time as Floor Manager has seen many exciting events in the history of the Illinois House and General Assembly; during her time on the House floor, the House has dealt with the impeachment of a governor, the repeal of the death penalty, controversial tax issues, and rewrites of the State's education laws; and

WHEREAS, As men and women who have worked with Lisa Guinan for many years, we have seen her with only two emotions, cheerfulness and calmness; and

WHEREAS, Led by her caring spirit, Lisa Guinan has been willing to help anyone on both sides of the aisle, demonstrating her bipartisan nature; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan has essentially served as the staff "mom" for more than 100 staffers during her tenure, showing them the ropes and patiently answering question after question; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan is always coordinating special occasions and memorials for staff, friends, and family; she will always be remembered for her annual Christmas party for staff and friends, featuring cookie decorating and Christmas carols, where she played the piano; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan always lives life to the fullest, following her passions, which have taken her across the globe to Jamaica, France, Germany, Ireland, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and England, where she went to see the Rolling Stones at Wembley Stadium in London; and

WHEREAS, A true fan of the Rolling Stones, Lisa Guinan's ties to the band have deepened recently, as she and Mick Jagger have both undergone heart valve surgery and recovered like true champions; and

WHEREAS, Although she loves to travel, Lisa Guinan remains true to Illinois as an avid genealogist of her family's Illinois roots; for many years, she and her husband, Tim Guinan, whom she met at the Illinois State Fair, lived at Lincoln's New Salem, where she tended and harvested the New Salem gardens in traditional 1830s attire; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan is a shining example of what it means to appreciate the simple pleasures in life, particularly through her interest in hummingbirds and nature; and

WHEREAS, Lisa Guinan's interests are now enjoyed at her beautifully-located Otter Lake, Illinois home with her husband, Tim Guinan of Beaver Dam State Park, and her stepdaughters, Payton Guinan and Jordan Guinan; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Lisa Guinan on her long service to the Illinois General Assembly, and we wish her many happy years in her retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Lisa Guinan as an expression of our esteem and respect.