HR0233 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0233 LRB098 11653 MST 44151 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Dina Bair, WGN midday news anchor, as she receives the 2013 Dante Award from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans; and

WHEREAS, The Dante Award recognizes those who have made a positive contribution in the field of communications that helps foster the true image of the Italian people; the award bears the name of one of the greatest literary geniuses of all time and certainly one of Italy's most illustrious sons; and

WHEREAS, Dina Bair is an Emmy award-winning journalist who is currently the anchor for WGN's "Midday News"; she is also the medical reporter for the "Medical Watch" segments seen throughout the day on WGN; in 2013 she traveled to Vatican City to report on the election of the new Pope; and

WHEREAS, Dina Bair joined WGN-TV as a full-time general assignment reporter in September of 1994; she anchored the "WGN Weekend Morning News" from December 1994 to December 1999; prior to coming to WGN, she worked for CLTV in Oak Brook, WHOI-TV in Peoria, and WMAQ-TV in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Dina Bair has received 7 Emmy Awards, a Peter Lisagor award from the Society of Professional Journalists, and multiple Associated Press awards for both anchoring and reporting; she was named a Fellow by the National Press Foundation for the "Cancer Issues" seminar in Washington, D.C. and her news series "Intensive Caring" won awards for its news and documentary coverage; and

WHEREAS, Dina Bair is a founding board member of the breast cancer charity "One in a Million: Dancing With Chicago Celebrities" and she leads a media running team devoted to raising funds for charity; she is involved with The National Italian American Foundation, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, LUNGevity, the Respiratory Health Association, the American Cancer Society, and Imerman Angels; and

WHEREAS, Dina Bair is originally from the east coast and received a bachelor's of science degree in radio-TV-film from Northwestern University; she is married with 4 children and a tri-athlete who enjoys running, boxing, lifting weights, and competitive ballroom dancing; and

WHEREAS, This year marks the 42nd annual Dante Award presented by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dina Bair as she receives the 2013 Dante Award from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans; and be it further

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