HR0357

LRB096 12579 KXB 25855 r






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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 Eric Rund of 
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Pesotum on being named the 2008 Champaign News-Gazette Farm 
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Leader of the Year; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Eric Rund operates a corn and soybean farm in 
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southern Champaign County, yet has been making ties with 
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farmers in South America; and

 
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    WHEREAS, His wife is a native of Ecuador; he owns a farm in 
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Brazil and operates International AGtivities, a company 
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providing tours of United States farms for South Americans and 
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South American farms for United States farmers; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In addition, Eric Rund has developed a market for 
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biofuels, with his farm being one of the first miscanthus farms 
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in the area; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Mr. Rund graduated from Villa Grove High School in 
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1967, then enrolled at the University of Illinois, where he 
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studied agricultural engineering; he later left the University 
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of Illinois to join the Peace Corps, working at a farm in 
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Ecuador in a town called Santo Domingo De Los Colorados; his 
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experience at the Peace Corps farm gave him a greater 
 


 






HR0357
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LRB096 12579 KXB 25855 r




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appreciation for the rich, black soil of East Central Illinois; 
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and

 
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    WHEREAS, He fell in love with one of the Peace Corps' 
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bilingual secretaries, Maria Mosquera; she already knew 
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English, but falling in love with her gave Mr. Rund incentive 
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to learn Spanish; she later quit her job with the Peace Corps, 
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and the couple married in her hometown on the Pacific coast, 
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Esmeraldas; and
 
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    WHEREAS, He and his wife conduct tours for farmers from 
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Argentina, and plan on conducting tours for farmers from China 
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and Ireland in the future; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate Eric Rund and wish him continued success in all 
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his future endeavors; and be it further

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