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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Arthur S. Nicholas, who passed away on
4December 22, 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, He was a veteran of the United States Navy; he
6grew up in Greece and actively fought the Communists in that
7country following World War II; and
 
8    WHEREAS, After emigrating to the United States, he worked
9as a dishwasher, but within 25 years became President of a
10Fortune 500 Company and a member of the Young Presidents
11Organization; during that time, he earned a degree in Chemical
12Engineering from the University of Michigan, founded Leon
13Chemicals, Inc., an innovative and profitable automotive
14plastics supplier, authored 13 patents, and joined US
15Industries, a global conglomerate, where he was appointed
16President in 1973; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Following his tenure at US Industries, he was
18brought in by a group of banks to serve as President of
19Evanston-based Apeco Corporation, where he lead the firm out of
20Chapter 11 bankruptcy status; he later entered the field of
21investment banking as Partner at the Chicago firm Nicholas,
22Feder and Jaffe, Inc.; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, In his retirement, he funded a scholarship at the
2University of Michigan to help ensure that economically
3disadvantaged students have the same opportunities that
4allowed him to be successful; he was also a key figure in the
5buildings of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Grand
6Rapids, Michigan and St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in
7Palatine; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Arthur Nicholas was the beloved husband of Bess,
9nee Zazanis; the loving father of Dr. Niki (Dr. Charles
10Nicholson) Nicholas, Arthur (Montean LaPorte) Nicholas Jr.,
11and Thomas (Julia) Nicholas; the proud grandfather of Nathan,
12Carly, Laura, and Trent; the dear brother of James (Georgia),
13George (Katina), and Chrysis (Robert) Hultzen; and the fond
14uncle of many; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
16ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
17his family and friends, the passing of Arthur Nicholas; and be
18it further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to the family of Arthur Nicholas as a symbol of our
21sincere sympathy.