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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Paul B. Stoddard on the 
4occasion of his retirement from the University of Illinois 
5Urbana-Champaign after a distinguished career in agriculture, 
6finance, and higher education; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Paul Stoddard was raised on a family farm in 
8Piatt County, where he developed a lifelong commitment to 
9agriculture and rural communities; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Paul Stoddard received a Bachelor of Arts in 
11Economics from the University of Illinois, where he was 
12inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, combining a 
13strong academic foundation with deep agricultural roots; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Paul Stoddard built a successful professional 
15career spanning farm management, commodity trading, 
16agricultural appraisal, and financial services, including 
17serving as chief appraiser at Farm Credit Illinois, where he 
18provided leadership, training, and expertise to agricultural 
19stakeholders across the Midwest; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Paul Stoddard, after adjunct teaching for ten 
21years, joined the faculty of the University of Illinois as a 
 
 
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1full-time lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and 
2Consumer Economics in 2012, where he taught courses in 
3agricultural marketing, farm management, negotiation, food and 
4agribusiness management, and personal financial planning, 
5shaping the academic and professional development of thousands 
6of students; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Over the course of Paul Stoddard's teaching 
8career, more than 11,500 students have passed through his 
9classroom, benefiting not only from his expertise in 
10agriculture and business, but also from his mentorship, 
11practical wisdom, and commitment to student success; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Paul Stoddard has been recognized for excellence 
13in teaching for 39 consecutive semesters at the University of 
14Illinois, and he has received numerous honors, including the 
15University of Illinois Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching 
16Award and the College of ACES Karl E. Gardner Excellence in 
17Undergraduate Advising Award; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Widely respected by his students and colleagues, 
19Paul Stoddard is known for his engaging teaching style, 
20real-world perspective, and dedication to building meaningful, 
21personal connections with students, inspiring them to succeed 
22both professionally and personally; and
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Paul Stoddard has embodied 
2the land-grant mission of the University of Illinois by 
3bridging agriculture, business, and education and by preparing 
4generations of students to contribute to the vitality of 
5Illinois agriculture and the broader economy; therefore, be it
 
6    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
7HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
8we congratulate Paul B. Stoddard on his retirement from the 
9University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign after his outstanding 
10career and dedicated service to the University of Illinois, 
11the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental 
12Sciences, and the people of the State of Illinois, and we wish 
13him continued success, good health, and happiness in his 
14well-earned retirement; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
16presented to Paul Stoddard as an expression of our esteem and 
17respect.