HR0968 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0968 LRB101 23466 LAW 74819 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate their colleague Representative Mike Unes on the occasion of his retirement as State Representative of the 91st District after serving five distinguished terms in the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes served as Assistant Minority Leader in the House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes strived to do the very best for the people of his district, providing the constituent service that those citizens deserve and bringing forth legislation that bettered the lives of those citizens; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes worked within his caucus and across the aisle to pass many pieces of important legislation, which resulted in a positive impact on the people of the State of Illinois, despite serving the entirety of his term in the minority party; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes remained true to the principles of honesty and service to the State in the face of tough decisions and trying times; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes served as a dedicated leader focused on an agenda for families of Fulton, Tazewell, and Peoria Counties that included fiscal responsibility, attracting employers back to Illinois, and reforming state government ethics; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes received his bachelor's degree from Bradley University in 1996; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes served on the East Peoria City Council, where he oversaw accounts and finance and served as mayor pro tem, from 2007 until he took office as a state representative; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes has been recognized and has received many accolades for his outstanding work ethic and achievements, including being named East Peoria's Distinguished Citizen of the Year; he was also named Legislator of the Year by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, ABATE of Illinois, and the Illinois Healthcare Association; he was named an inaugural Edgar Fellow for his demonstrated positive leadership; he also received the Friend of Agriculture Award by the Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Electric Cooperatives' Public Service Award; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes has been honored for his commitment to improving Illinois' climate for employers; he was named a Champion of Free Enterprise three times by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, which also named him Outstanding Freshman Legislator; he was recognized by the Illinois Manufacturers' Association multiple times for his commitment to Illinois manufacturing; in addition, he was thrice awarded the Guardian of Small Business Award by the National Federation of Independent Business/Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes resides in East Peoria with his wife, Natalie, and their four children, Meghan, Nathan, Michelle, and Nicholas; and

WHEREAS, Representative Unes' commitment to public service and his business experience have been invaluable to the General Assembly and House Republican Caucus; and

WHEREAS, After his time in Springfield, Representative Unes will continue his commitment to service, working to improve central Illinois as Vice President of the UnityPoint Health - Central Illinois Foundation; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor State Representative Mike Unes for his work in the Illinois House of Representatives and wish him all the best on his retirement from the General Assembly; and be it further

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