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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, According to the United States Census Bureau,
3African-Americans made up 14.8% of the population of the State
4of Illinois in 2011; and
 
5    WHEREAS, In a Chicago Urban League survey of 160 corporate
6boards based in Chicago and the surrounding region, the group
7found that 101 of 1,527 directors, or roughly 6.6%, are
8African-American; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The study found that 73 companies have no
10African-American board members, while 71 companies have one and
1112 companies have two; only the McDonald's Corporation and the
12Compuware Corporation have three African-American board
13members; and
 
14    WHEREAS, While more than 50% of the companies surveyed have
15at least one African-American on their board, several of the
16Chicago area's largest companies have none, including Sears
17Holdings Corporation, United Continental Holdings Corporation,
18Navistar International Corporation, Motorola Mobility Holdings
19Inc., Aon PLC, CAN Financial Corporation, and CF Industries
20Holdings Inc.; and
 
21    WHEREAS, In 2011, the Navistar International Corporation

 

 

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1received $64.7 million in tax incentives from the State, while
2Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. received $110 million and the
3Sears Holdings Corporation received $150 million; and
 
4    WHEREAS, A more accurate reflection of the great diversity
5of this State in the corporate world is needed and would be
6beneficial to both public and private interests; therefore, be
7it
 
8    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10we urge the boards of directors and shareholders of all
11Illinois corporations to properly reflect the ethnic, racial,
12and gender diversity of the State in the membership of their
13corporate boards; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That we encourage those boards and shareholders
15to inform the General Assembly of the ethnic, racial, and
16gender diversity of the membership of their corporate boards on
17an annual basis; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That we urge the Governor's Office, the Office of
19Management and Budget, Central Management Services, the State
20Treasurer, the Comptroller, and the Illinois Finance Authority
21to take steps to ensure that their corporate and financial
22partnerships, vendors, and contractors have boards of

 

 

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1directors that are reflective of our State and its diverse
2citizenry; and be it further
 
3    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be made
4available to Andrea L. Zopp, President and Chief Executive
5Officer of the Chicago Urban League; John W. Rogers, Jr.,
6Chairman and CEO of Ariel Investments LLC; Hedy Ratner,
7Co-Founder of the Chicago Women's Business and Development
8Center; Patrick J. Canning, Chicago Managing Partner of KPMG
9LLP; Michele J. Hooper, Co-Founder of the Directors' Council;
10William Osborn, CEO (Retired) of Northern Trust; Mellody
11Hobson, President of Ariel Investments LLC; William Von Hoene,
12Jr., Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer
13of the Exelon Corporation; Chicago Crain's Business; and
14Attorney Jim Montgomery.