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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman is retiring from his position as
3Executive Director of the Illinois High School Association
4(IHSA) after 25 years in Bloomington, where he led the IHSA as
5its Executive Director since 2002; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman is the sixth individual to hold the
7position of Executive Director in the IHSA's 100-plus year
8history; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman has dedicated his life to students
10in Illinois, having served as a teacher, coach, and principal
11during stops at Girard High School, Bluffs Junior-Senior High
12School, Westmer Secondary School, and Monmouth High School
13before joining the IHSA; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Under Marty Hickman's leadership, the IHSA
15expanded its participation opportunities to high school
16students in Illinois to include State tournaments in boys
17bowling, competitive cheerleading, competitive dance,
18journalism, and boys and girls water polo; the IHSA has also
19remained an innovator, becoming the first state high school
20association in the country to offer a bass fishing state
21tournament in 2011, and has become a technological leader in
22its field, launching the most extensive website of its kind and

 

 

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1moving many operations online, which has saved high schools
2money and coaches and administrators time; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman has stressed the student in
4student-athlete, starting the Academic All-State Team to
5recognize and reward individuals who excel in both academics
6and extracurricular participation with college scholarships;
7he also started the IHSA Distinguished Service Award program to
8recognize the efforts of the volunteers around the State who
9are vital to the IHSA and its tournaments; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman has effectively managed the
11Association's finances, helping to eliminate the entry fees
12that are employed by many high school associations in the
13country, while also maintaining a balanced budget that has
14helped return millions of dollars to high schools in the State
15during his tenure; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman represented Illinois on a national
17level by serving on the Boards of the National Federation of
18State High School Associations and the National Association of
19Sports Officials; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman has served as an active member of
21many local boards and service clubs, including Kiwanis, Special
22Olympics Illinois, and the Peoria Riverfront Museum Board; he

 

 

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1was also named a "Distinguished Alumnus" by Eastern Illinois
2University; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman is a wonderful representation of the
4quality of education in Illinois, having graduated from New
5Berlin High School in New Berlin before earning degrees from
6Eastern Illinois University, the University of Illinois at
7Springfield, and the University of Illinois at
8Urbana-Champaign; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Marty Hickman has been married to his loving wife,
10Nancy, for more than 30 years; together, they have 2 children,
11Adam and Alex; 2 daughters-in-law, Lynn and Kelly; and a
12grandchild, Cole, with another on the way; therefore, be it
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
15congratulate Marty Hickman on the occasion of his retirement
16and wish him continued success and happiness in the future; and
17be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19presented to Marty Hickman as a symbol of our esteem and
20respect.