SR0333 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0333 LRB104 13694 ECR 26373 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate Ralph Schultz on the occasion of his retirement as executive director of the Forest Preserve District of Will County; and

WHEREAS, Ralph Schultz joined the Forest Preserve District of Will County in 1993, where he first served as a landscape architect; he later served as director of planning and operations and chief operating officer; and

WHEREAS, During Ralph Schultz's 32-year tenure, the Forest Preserve District of Will County expanded its land holdings by more than 50%, restored thousands of acres of habitat, and opened or improved nearly 50 access areas and trails; and

WHEREAS, Throughout the decades, Robert Schultz oversaw the creation and extensions of the regional DuPage River Trail, the Joliet Junction Trail, the Old Plank Road Trail, the Veterans Memorial Trail, the Wauponsee Glacial Trail, and many other smaller interconnected paths; and

WHEREAS, Ralph Schultz led the effort to acquire Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook in 2022, which recently reopened after a $2 million makeover, and he supervised transformation of the Four Rivers Environmental Education Center in Channahon into a nationally accredited site for inclusivity; and

WHEREAS, Ralph Schultz, through years of visionary growth, community connection, and conservation leadership, has ensured that the Forest Preserve District of Will County shall remain a vital resource for current and future generations; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Ralph Schultz on his retirement as executive director of the Forest Preserve District of Will County after 32 years of service; and be it further

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