HR0908 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0908 LRB099 15591 MST 39882 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. Martin "Marty" Hickman on the occasion of his retirement as Executive Director of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hickman joined the IHSA as an Assistant Executive Director in 1991; he was promoted to Associate Executive Director in 1999 and Executive Director in 2001; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hickman's tenure as Executive Director has included unprecedented growth in participation opportunities for students; the IHSA added State series tournaments in several sports and activities, including boys bowling, competitive cheerleading, competitive dance, journalism, and boys and girls water polo; in addition, the IHSA became the first State association in the country to offer bass fishing in 2011; it also added programs for athletes with disabilities in several sports in 2012; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hickman deserves credit for maintaining and advancing the standing of the IHSA as one of the top state high school associations in the country; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hickman was born in Colorado; he was raised in New Berlin and attended Eastern Illinois University after graduating from New Berlin High School; he began his career in education as a teacher and coach at Girard High School; he later served as the principal of Bluffs Jr.-Sr. High School, Westmer Secondary School, and Monmouth High School where he remained until joining the IHSA staff; he also went on to earn a master's degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield and his doctorate in education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Hickman's retirement will be official on January 15, 2016; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Martin "Marty" Hickman on his retirement as Executive Director of the Illinois High School Association; and be it further

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