SR1053 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1053 LRB097 23715 MST 72793 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Senator Carole Pankau has represented the citizens of DuPage County, Illinois, with distinction in the General Assembly for 20 years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has served with honor in the Senate since 2005, after 6 terms in the House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau's priorities have always been those of the people she represents, and she has served as an advocate for taxpayers, families, and seniors; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau became a lawmaker to make the State of Illinois a better place to live, bringing State government from the marble halls of the Capitol back home to the communities of DuPage County; and

WHEREAS, During her time in Springfield, Senator Pankau has fought for common-sense fiscal policy changes within the State's Medicaid program and served on Medicaid task forces geared toward ending the State's backlog of Medicaid bills while cutting fraud and waste; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has sponsored laws providing transparency for State contracts and ease of public access through State websites; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has always fought for the rights of Illinois' senior citizens through sponsorship of senior-related bills ranging from legislation that eased banking transactions to property tax assistance for seniors; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has served as Republican Spokesperson for the Senate Commerce Committee, helping to guide public policy that impacted small businesses, business competitiveness and innovation, and consumer protection; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau was selected to serve as Senate Republican Whip from 2009 to 2011; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau also served as a member of the Senate Energy Committee, the Senate Environment Committee, the Senate Public Health Committee, the Senate State Government and Veterans' Affairs Committee, co-chair of the Legislative Printing Unit Board, a member of the Deficit Reduction Committee, the Local Government Consolidation Commission, the Legislative Research Unit Board, the Commission to the Elimination of Poverty, and the Obesity Prevention Initiative; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has served as the co-chair of the Conference of Women Legislators; and

WHEREAS, A number of local and State organizations have honored Senator Pankau for her efforts in the General Assembly, including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Suburban Mayors Action Coalition, the Management Association of Illinois, the Illinois Federation for Right to Life Inc., the Illinois Coalition for Competitive Telecommunications, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Illinois Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the Illinois Mechanical & Specialty Contractors' Association, the American Cancer Society, the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, Lutheran Child & Family Services of Illinois, the Coalition for Comprehensive Telecommunications, the Illinois Optometric Association, the Employment Law Council of Illinois, A.B.A.T.E, the Illinois Association of Park Districts, the DuPage County Farm Bureau, the Village of Schaumburg, DeVry University, the Life Services Network, and the R.Ed.I. Arts and Education Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has been involved in many civic organizations, including the Bloomingdale Republican Women's Club, the Illinois Federation of Republican Women, the National Order of Women Legislators, the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority, Purdue University, the Bank of Itasca Business Advisory Board, and the First Suburban National Bank Business Advisory Board; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has been involved in local Chambers of Commerce, including Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Elmhurst, Glendale Heights, Lombard, Roselle, Villa Park, Wheaton, Winfield, and Wood Dale; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau served as a DuPage County Board member for 8 years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau served as a Keeneyville School District 20 Board member for 8 years; and

WHEREAS, For 18 years, Senator Pankau served as a Bloomingdale Township Republican Organization Precinct 51 Committeeman; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau served on the DuPage County Board of Health for 4 years and the DuPage Housing Authority for 4 years; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau has served on the Historic Preservation Commission since 2006; and

WHEREAS, Since 1992, Senator Pankau has hosted the "In Focus" cable TV Program; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau spent 18 years as a small-business owner and manager; in 1976, Senator Pankau, together with her husband, John, opened Bloomingdale Carriage Shop and Aaron's Towing; during difficult times, Senator Pankau often climbed into the driver's seat and drove the tow trucks herself; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau was born August 13, 1947, in Valparaiso, Indiana; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau earned a bachelor's of science degree in accounting from the University of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Senator Pankau and her husband, John, have been married since 1966 and have 4 children and 11 grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, In her 20 years as a lawmaker, Senator Pankau has represented her constituents in Springfield with determination and class, earning the respect and admiration of her colleagues on both sides of the aisle; and

WHEREAS, Lawmakers and staff alike know and appreciate Senator Pankau for her energy, boundless enthusiasm for community service, and her easy-going, cheerful nature; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Senator Carole Pankau on her retirement from the Illinois General Assembly after 20 years of honorable and dedicated service; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Senator Pankau with our friendship, our gratitude for her hard work, and our best wishes for her future endeavors.