HR0236 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0236 LRB104 13028 ECR 24809 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Michael W. Leopold on the occasion of his retirement as Mayor of the Village of Swansea; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Leopold was born to Warren and Wanda Leopold on December 19, 1950; he was raised in Bellville; he married Claire Nester on October 6, 1990, and together they have four children, Christopher Leopold, Kelli (Greg) Milton, James Leopold, and Kathryn Leopold, and four grandchildren; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Leopold, outside of his mayoral duties, has worked as a financial advisor at Huntleigh Securities, Inc. in Belleville since 1986, where he currently serves as a vice president and as a member of the board of directors; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Leopold began his service to Swansea in 1989, serving as a village trustee for 10 years, village treasurer for eight years, and as mayor for eight years; during his tenure, he worked on and established numerous projects, including supporting renovations to the Clinton Hills Conservation Park, the Miles of the St. Clair County Bike Trails, the Swansea Dog Park within Mel Price Park, and many others; through his decades of service to Swansea, he has contributed to its growth, ensuring it will remain a great place to live; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Leopold has remained active in the community through a variety of organizations, including The Belle-Scott Committee, where he was served as a member and two-time chairperson, the Belleville Memorial Hospital Board, where he served as a director, the Boy Scouts of America, where he served as an executive board member, the Belleville Rotary Club, where he served as president and is a current Paul Harris Fellow, the Lake Lorraine Homeowners' Association, where he served on the board of directors, the Southern Illinois Leadership Council, where he served as a member and chairman of the Military Affairs Committee, the Swansea Rotary Club, where he served as a member, and the YMCA of Southwestern Illinois, where he served on the board of directors; he has also been a member of the St. Clair Country Club, where he served on the board of directors, and he has co-chaired the Memorial and St. Elizabeth Hospitals golf tournament; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Leopold has received a number of accolades, including being the recipient of the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Boy Scouts of America in 2019 and the George Lanxon Award for public service from the Southern Illinois Police Chiefs' Association in 2020; and

WHEREAS, Mayor Leopold enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, attending sporting events, and traveling with his family and friends; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Michael W. Leopold on his retirement as Mayor of the Village of Swansea, and we thank him for his 26 years of service and dedication to his community; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mayor Leopold as a symbol of our esteem and respect.