SR1382 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1382 LRB102 30200 ECR 42560 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Senator Brian Stewart hopes that his personal story proves that anyone can achieve the American dream and that humble beginnings do not preclude success; most importantly, he hopes others see that with hard work, dedication, and integrity, anyone can create their own version of the American Dream here in Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart has represented the residents of northwestern Illinois in the General Assembly with distinction for nearly 10 years; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart has served with honor in the Senate since December 2018 and in the House of Representatives from October 2013 to December 2018; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart's priorities have always been those of the northwestern Illinois residents he represents, including agriculture, business development with job creation, education, public safety, law enforcement, and veteran issues; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart's primary focus has been putting Illinois in a regulatory and fiscal position to create quality jobs for working families, especially in agriculture and manufacturing, to help reinvigorate Illinois' ailing economy and to increase state revenue without raising taxes; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart became a lawmaker to make the State of Illinois a better place to live, intent on bringing state government away from the marble halls of the Capitol and back home to the communities of northwestern Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart has served as spokesperson for the Pensions Committee and as a member of the Agriculture, Energy and Public Utilities, Financial Institutions, Health Care Access and Availability, Judiciary, and Veterans Affairs Committees; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart served on the Legislative Ethics Commission, which works with the Legislative Inspector General in investigating allegations of misconduct by state lawmakers and staff; and

WHEREAS, Born on October 25, 1957, Sen. Stewart is a fifth-generation native of northwest Illinois and graduated from Freeport public schools; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart served as a military police officer and military police investigator in the U.S. Army; and

WHEREAS, Upon completion of his military service, Sen. Stewart returned to Freeport to serve as a deputy for the Stephenson County Sheriff's Office, rising to the rank of sergeant; during this time, he was assigned to a major case squad, which overlapped the nine northwestern-most counties in Illinois, including an area encompassing almost the entire 45th Senate District; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart started a small business at his dining room table; his knack for business enabled him to retire early from law enforcement and develop his company full time; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart started Stewart & Associates with a single desk and a handful of local customers, building it into a business that offers a wide range of services to companies in all 50 states, Canada, and over 80 countries around the world and employs almost 500 people throughout two dozen business units across America, with most of his business locations being located in Northern Illinois and centered in his hometown of Freeport; and

WHEREAS, In addition to his professional career, Sen. Stewart has served as an alderman and trustee of the Freeport Township; he has served as a chairman and board member of the Northwest Illinois Criminal Justice Commission; he has also been a member of the Stephenson County ETSB (911) Board, the Freeport Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Northwest Illinois Development Alliance; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart has been involved in many civic organizations, including the United Way of Northwest Illinois where he served as chairman, the FHN Foundation Be Cancer Free Campaign, and the Stephenson County Employees–UAW Local 2261 where he served as the charter president; and

WHEREAS, Sen. Stewart is a current member of the Freeport Rotary, AMVETS Post 32, and the Stephenson County Farm Bureau; and

WHEREAS, In Sen. Stewart's almost 10 years as a lawmaker, he has represented his constituents in Springfield with determination and class; he has earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle; and

WHEREAS, Lawmakers and legislative staff alike know and appreciate Sen. Stewart for his warmth, kindness, wry humor, and quick smile; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Senator Brian Stewart on his retirement from the Illinois General Assembly after a decade of honorable and dedicated service, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

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