SR2260 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Joseph Michael "Mike" McKeon of Joliet, who passed away on September 15, 2016 at the age of 73; and

WHEREAS, Joseph McKeon was a veteran of the United States Navy; and

WHEREAS, Joseph McKeon was an esteemed political strategist, pollster, and analyst whose advice was sought by Republicans and Democrats alike; countless state and national political organizations depended on him to have the pulse of the electorate and relied on his bluntness, street smarts and political savvy; and

WHEREAS, Joseph McKeon formed his global public opinion research and strategic marketing firm, McKeon and Associates, in 1973; his polling and analysis of the changing American cultural paradigm have been featured in nearly all major media outlets around the globe; he led research and strategy for more than 700 political candidates on both sides of the aisle and had major corporate clients such as Gatorade, Commonwealth Edison, Walmart, and the Chicago Bulls; he also served as a political script consultant on Saturday Night Live for many years; and

WHEREAS, Joseph McKeon polled national and statewide races from coast to coast; he was nationally recognized for his astute ability to identify national and international trends and bake them into winning marketing and political strategies; he was also ahead of his time in analyzing moods and trends among voters and penned a 1994 Washington Post column in which he outlined the evolving media landscape and the way digital technology was supplanting traditional forms of communications; and

WHEREAS, Joseph McKeon is survived by his daughters, Meghan (Bucky) Moreno and Zora Baron; his grandchildren, Sophia and Isabella Moreno and Joe and Lauren; his siblings, Linda (Kenneth) Joslin, Lynn (Edward) Masters, Robert (Linda) Conrad, and Cary J. Conrad; many nieces and nephews; and his faithful friends, Jimmy Wheeler and Tim McAnarney; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his family and friends, mourn the passing of Joseph Michael "Mike" McKeon; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Joseph McKeon as an expression of our sympathy.