HR0670 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0670 LRB094 14353 HSS 49276 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Larry McConkey, head of REHAB Products and Service for 31 years, retired on October 1, 2005; known by employees as a kind and understanding man, his service at REHAB was a labor of love; and

WHEREAS, REHAB Products and Services provides employment development and work activities for persons with disabilities, both on-site and in the community; and

WHEREAS, When Mr. McConkey joined REHAB in 1974, he had five employees and a budget of $96,000; today, the business is a $2.5 million operation with 75 employees and another 75 persons with disabilities working at REHAB and in the community; its headquarters, which started out as a 7,000-square-foot building, has expanded to over 30,000-square-feet in order to accommodate the growth in business; REHAB also maintains three off-site operations, two maintenance contracts, and a distribution operation in the community; and

WHEREAS, Last year, REHAB job-placed 29 persons with disabilities in the community; they also provide grounds and building maintenance for three State of Illinois rest areas, handle distribution operations for the Department of Veterans Affairs' Illiana Health Care System, and provide janitorial services for U.S. Can Co. and the U.S. Army Reserves; and

WHEREAS, In his retirement, Mr. McConkey plans to do some traveling with his wife, Kay, and spend more time with his children and four grandchildren; he also looks forward to attending auctions to look for antiques and old tools to pursue his hobby of restoring old furniture; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Larry McConkey on the occasion of his retirement as head of REHAB Products and Services after 31 years of service, and we wish him many years of health and happiness; and be it further

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