HR1328 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1328 LRB099 22230 MST 49599 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish congratulate Donna Marie Pezzuto on the occasion of her retirement from CJE SeniorLife in Chicago after an illustrious career building strong community-based programs for older adults; and

WHEREAS, Donna Pezzuto began her career at CJE SeniorLife, which is widely recognized as one of the most innovative and effective nonprofit agencies in the United States serving only older adults; when CJE was still a young agency, there were only 25.5 million adults aged 65 and older living in the United States, compared with 40.2 million in 2010 and a projected 55.9 million by 2020; and

WHEREAS, Donna Pezzuto devoted the past 33 years to building many CJE programs; programs were built on the recognition that older adults want to have the choice of living happily and safely in community settings, engage with family and friends, and that their future depends on having access to an infrastructure of community supports; and

WHEREAS, Donna Pezzuto has held many positions over the past decades at CJE, including manager of the Care Resources Center, the Congregate Living Facilities, the Intake Department, and the Neighborhood Advocacy and Consumer Assistance departments; she was a Leadership Team member helping to develop the Russian Resettlement Program and the "Living at Home" program; she also served as Director of the Grants and Government Affairs Department, as Senior Director of the Healthy Aging Initiatives, and finally, as Vice-President of the Healthy Aging and Community Initiatives; and

WHEREAS, Donna Pezzuto is cherished by her colleagues as the best of all team players: she is passionate about the outcome, creative, and always willing to take the initiative no matter how difficult the task; she is detail-oriented, gracious in coaching other staff, including many that she mentored so that they could shine in their achievements, and she is always trusted by those closest to her as their go-to person because of her strategic thinking, her honest and non-judgmental support, and her integrity; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Donna Marie Pezzuto on her retirement from CJE SeniorLife and wish her a long and equally fruitful retirement; and be it further

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