HR0444 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0444 LRB097 12207 GRL 56574 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Tom Roeser; and

WHEREAS, Tom Roeser was born in Evanston in 1928; he was a graduate of St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota; and

WHEREAS, Tom Roeser began his career covering politics in Minnesota, where he became a research-publicist for the Minnesota Republican Party; he subsequently served as an aide to two United States congressmen and a governor; he later returned to Chicago to launch the Quaker Oats Company's government relations department in 1964 and continued his education with post-graduate studies at DePaul and Loyola Universities; and

WHEREAS, In 1964, Tom Roeser was named manager-public affairs for the Quaker Oats Company; he was then promoted to Director of Public Affairs in 1966, serving in that capacity until 1969; he left Quaker temporarily to assume a role in the federal government as assistant to the Secretary of Commerce for Minority Enterprise from 1969 to 1970; he then recommended the abolition of his own agency, which was a controversial challenge to the permanent bureaucracy, and was reassigned as Director of Public Affairs for the Peace Corps, where he served as a foreign service officer from 1970 to 1971; and

WHEREAS, In 1971, Tom Roeser returned to the Quaker Oats Company, where he served as vice president of government relations until his retirement in 1991; he subsequently established the firm of Thomas F. Roeser and Associates, where he represented a variety of clients in government relations; in 2007, he formed the Chicago Daily Observer, the city's first internet-based five-day a week newspaper; and

WHEREAS, In 1994, Tom Roeser joined WLS Radio and became the host of "The Tom Roeser Show"; he quickly became a valued member of the WLS on-air lineup; he was heard primarily in his regular Sunday night slot, where listeners could participate in his radio 'plebiscites', weighing in on the political issues of the past week, and look forward to the week ahead; and

WHEREAS, Tom Roeser was a senior correspondent and talk show host for Catholic Family Radio, a network with outlets in Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee; he was also an occasional commentator on "Chicago Tonight" on WTTW-TV; and

WHEREAS, Tom Roeser was a member of the American Federation of Television and the Radio Artists AFL-CIO; and

WHEREAS, Tom Roeser is survived by his wife, Lillian, and his children, Tom Jr., Michael, Mary Catherine, and Jeanne; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Tom Roeser; and be it further

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