HR1203 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1203 LRB094 20292 HSS 58307 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Mr. Stephen Fiorentino has been named a recipient of the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Humanitarian of the Year Award given by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA); and

WHEREAS, Mr. Fiorentino served as president of the JCCIA from 1995 to 1996; during his presidency, he founded the Humanitarian of the Year Award, presenting it to Joseph Cardinal Bernardin in 1995, then naming the award in the Cardinal's honor; and

WHEREAS, The award is presented annually to those whose lives exemplify the virtues of caring, humanity, and good will that were the hallmark of Cardinal Bernardin's tenure as Archbishop of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Born in 1945 in a small village in the province of Palermo, Sicily, Mr. Fiorentino came to America with his family in 1960; adapting to his new home wasn't easy, especially when it came to getting an education, but he persevered and achieved success as an attorney and active member of the Italian-American community; and

WHEREAS, At the age of 15, he took a job at Serrelli Foods, a neighborhood grocery store; he attended St. Philomena Parish School, but because he didn't speak English and there were no bi-lingual education programs, he was placed in a class with much younger children; he advanced as his English improved, and he completed elementary school at the age of 18; in 1962, he entered Weber High School while working at Lecthrome Inc.; during his summer breaks, he took a second job as an assembly line inspector for the Schwinn Bicycle factory; and

WHEREAS, During his senior year of high school, he became eligible for United States citizenship and was sworn in as a citizen in March of 1966; the following June, he graduated high school at age 21; despite his age, he was determined to go to college; while working for Eastern Airlines, Mr. Fiorentino earned a degree in business from DePaul University; and

WHEREAS, After graduating from DePaul, he took a job with Continental Illinois Bank while attending the evening division at the John Marshall Law School; he earned his law degree in 1975, and began his legal career as an assistant state's attorney in Cook County; in 1977, he married Frances Liga, a young woman from Casteldaccia, Fiorentino's hometown in Sicily, and who had settled in Champaign; the couple settled in Glenview, where they became the proud parents of four sons; and

WHEREAS, In 2004, Mr. Fiorentino was awarded honorary citizenship from the mayor of Casteldaccia; today, he has a successful law practice concentrating in personal injury litigation, commercial transactions, and real estate; he is active in numerous Italian-American organizations, including the JCCIA and Society San Giuseppe di Casteldaccia; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Mr. Stephen Fiorentino on being a recipient of the Joseph Cardinal Bernardin Humanitarian of the Year Award given by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Mr. Fiorentino as an expression of our esteem.