HR1529 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1529 LRB096 24480 GRL 44276 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Douglas E. Zemke on the occasion of his retirement as President of Millikin University on December 31, 2010; and

WHEREAS, Douglas Zemke graduated from Millikin University in 1966; and

WHEREAS, Douglas Zemke has more than 30 years of business management experience in the telecommunications industry with the former Illinois Bell, AT&T, and Cincinnati Bell; in December of 1997, he retired as senior vice president at Cincinnati Bell Telephone, where he led all activities associated with the restructuring of the business from 1993 to 1995; he was also one of the founding managing members of InDecatur Ventures, LLC, Main Street Bank & Trust (now Busey Bank), and the Tabor School's Center for Entrepreneurship; and

WHEREAS, Douglas Zemke served as Dean of the Tabor School of Business from January of 1998 to July of 2001; from 1995 to 1998, he served as a member of the Millikin Board of Trustees; and

WHEREAS, Douglas Zemke was selected to serve as 13th President of Millikin University by the Millikin University Board of Trustees on July 1, 2003; as president, he focused the University's energies on leadership development, revitalizing the school's curriculum with an emphasis on developing international/global educational opportunities, establishing fiscal responsibility, and building strong ties to Millikin alums and the Decatur community, and provided renewed commitment to Millikin's mission; he was also instrumental in the rejuvenation of the campus through numerous building and streetscape projects, including the completion of ADM-Scovill Hall and the restoration of Albert Taylor Theatre; and

WHEREAS, Douglas Zemke has been an active member of the Decatur community; he has served on the Decatur Area Labor and Management Committee, the Board of the Community Investment Corporation of Decatur, the Land of Lincoln Credit Union Board of Directors, and the Board of the Lincoln Square Theatre; he is a past chairman of the Macon County American Heart Walk; he is a member of the Decatur Leadership Institute; he is a past chairman of the Board of Directors of The Economic Development Corporation of Decatur and Macon County; he is a past board member of Partners in Education and The Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce; he is a board member of Hickory Point Bank and Trust; he is a member of The Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities and the Executive Committee of the Associated Colleges of Illinois; he is also a member of the steering committee for the Decatur Area Education Coalition; and

WHEREAS, Douglas Zemke serves as a model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Douglas Zemke on the occasion of his retirement and wish him many happy and healthy retirement years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Douglas Zemke as a symbol of our esteem and respect.