HR1489

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are saddened to  learn of the death of
Ronald 
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Burton Watkins, noted author, entrepreneur, and economic 
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development consultant; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Ron Watkins began his entrepreneurial career in 
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1965, when he opened Mr. Lucky's Jazz Club on the south side of 
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Chicago, featuring some of Chicago's best jazz artists; in 
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1968, he founded Expressions In Black, an entertainment and 
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speaker's bureau presenting African American artists and 
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lecturers on college campuses throughout the United States; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1975, Ron Watkins founded and served as 
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Chairman of The Chicago Association of Audio Visual Producers; 
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In 1977, he joined the staff of the Illinois Department of 
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Economic Development as the first African American to be 
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employed by the state as an Industrial Development Consultant; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1979, Ron Watkins was appointed by the governor 
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as the Director of Minority Business Enterprise for the State 
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of Illinois; during his tenure, he initiated the state's first 
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Minority Export Assistance Program and organized trade 
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missions to Haiti, Jamaica, and the Bahamas; he served in this 
 


 






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position until 1984, when he resigned to pursue his interests 
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in international trade; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1989, Ron Watkins moved to Liberia in western 
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Africa and established The Sub-Saharan Gold and Diamond Fund, 
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an offshore trading company involved in gold brokerage and 
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import of machinery and equipment used by gold and diamond 
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miners in Liberia; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1992, Ron Watkins founded The Heritage 
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International Trade Association, a not for profit membership 
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organization providing technical assistance and consultant 
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services to small businesses interested in global trade; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1994, Ron Watkins completed and published his 
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first book, "Doing Business In Africa, Myths and Realities"; 
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from 1995 to 2001, he wrote a monthly column, "Thinking 
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Globally", for Afrique Newsmagazine in Chicago; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 2000, Ron Watkins founded The African Trade 
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Center Association with a $200,000 research grant from the 
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State of Illinois to conduct a feasibility study on 
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establishing an African Trade Center in Chicago; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 2006, Ron Watkins completed the manuscript for 
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his second book, "Cooperative Economics, A Global Vision for 
 


 






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Black Economic Development"; in the same year, he founded and 
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served as the president of the Liberian-American Center for 
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Trade & Development; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Ron Watkins was featured in Crain's Chicago 
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Business, The Chicago Tribune, The Network Journal Magazine, 
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The Weekly Standard, The Chicago Defender, and The Wall Street 
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Journal and appeared on several local radio and television talk 
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shows; he also taught International Business in the Chicago 
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City College system and organized several trade missions and 
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seminars on trade and investment with Africa and the Caribbean; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, Ron was preceded in death by his father, George 
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(Cookie) Watkins, and his mother, Louise Watkins; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Ron Watkins is survived by his children, Ronald 
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(Suzan) Harris, Pamela Williams, Burton (Anita) Amos, and 
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Sheila Watkins; his sisters, Rodena Jackson and Shazzada 
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Wilkens; his brother, Kenyatta Watkins; his nephews, Alvin 
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Jackson, Jr. and Antonio Jones, Jr.; his fifteen grandchildren 
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and fifteen great-grandchildren;  and a host of friends that he 
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considered family; therefore, be 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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mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Ronald 
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Burton Watkins; and be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to the family of Ron Watkins as an expression of our 
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sympathy.