HR0573

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate Elroy C. Smith on 
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his 15 years of service to the Chicago radio industry; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith was born and raised on the island 
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of Bermuda; he is the youngest of 6 children born to Ismay and 
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Littenfeld Smith; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith's fascination with radio led him to 
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ZFB in Bermuda, where he was told by the program director  that 
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he would never make it because of his inability to read; 
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determined to succeed, he went to New York to attend 
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Announcer's Training School; when he returned home, program 
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director Sergio Dean offered him a part-time job at ZFB as an 
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on-air personality; shortly after, he was admitted to Graham 
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Junior College in Boston, Massachusetts; still illiterate, he 
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taught himself to read by reading an encyclopedia every night; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, After finishing the two-year program at Graham 
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Junior College, Elroy C. Smith enrolled at Emerson College, 
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where he sought a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith joined WGCI-FM in 1992; since his 
 


 






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arrival at WGCI-FM, the station has consistently been a ratings 
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leader in a number of demographics; he made history in 1993 by 
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carrying WGCI-FM to the number one slot in the metropolitan 
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area for three consecutive ratings periods; he has maintained 
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WGCI-FM as one of the biggest radio stations in Chicago from 
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February 1992 to March 2007; on July 5, 2004, he signed on with 
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Bermuda's HOTT 1075 radio station; in August 2006 he was chosen 
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to be Operations Manager of WVON; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In November 2000, Elroy C. Smith became program 
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director of the Urban Adult Contemporary station WVAZ-FM;
in 
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2003, WVAZ-FM received the prestigious Marconi Award for Urban 
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Station of the Year from the National Association of 
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Broadcasters; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith has earned many honors and awards 
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during his career; he was named the Billboard Monitor Program 
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Director of the Year and was honored by the Living Legends 
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Foundation; he was a recipient of the Midwest Radio Music 
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Association Icon Award and the Salute to Excellence Award; he 
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was awarded  the State of the District Media Award by the United 
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States Congress in 2006; in 2003 he was named the Program 
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Director of the Year at the Radio Music Awards in Las Vegas, 
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Nevada; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith is a faithful member of the Chicago 
 


 






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Church of Christ; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith and his wife, Vonda, are the proud 
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parents of Colin Spencer and Carson Vaughn Smith; therefore, be 
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it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Elroy C. Smith on his 15 years of service to the 
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Chicago radio industry and wish him continued success and 
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happiness in the future; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Elroy C. Smith as a symbol of our esteem and 
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respect.