HR1126 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1126 LRB097 21780 GRL 70328 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Dr. Robert L. Mees currently serves as President of John A. Logan College, which serves over 20,000 students each semester in its career and transfer programs, continuing education programs, adult education programs, and Center for Business and Industry; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Mees has over 40 years of service in education as a community college president and vice president, public school superintendent, principal, and math teacher; he has a distinguished record of being very committed to P-20 initiatives, which focus on articulation and cooperation from pre-school through higher education; he is a member of several regional and state-wide organizations that focus on P-20 initiatives and serves as executive secretary/treasurer for the Southern Illinois Schoolmasters and the Illinois Association of School Administrators Shawnee Division; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Mees has shown his leadership skills by being involved at the State level with the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents and served as president of the organization in 2008-2009; he has a record of working very closely with the Illinois Community College Trustees Association and was one of the first presidents to receive the Trustee Education Award from ICCTA in 2007 and the Outstanding Advocacy Award in 2008; he is a past president of the Illinois Community College Chief Academic Officers Organization; he also a member of a state-wide core group responsible for the Generations Serving Generation initiative, which promotes lifelong learning, volunteerism, civic engagement, and part-time employment for retirees; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Mees has collaborated with educational and government leaders in the People's Republic of China on developing a community college system in their country; these efforts have included conducting a series of lectures in China on the American and Illinois Community College Systems and having two papers published in China on the American community college system, which were the first ever published in China on this topic; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Robert Mees has been very involved in his community and has taken on leadership roles with the Regional Economic Development Corporation, the Southern Illinois Workforce Investment Board, Connect SI, Southern Business Journal, Southern Illinois Schoolmasters, the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Egypt Council of the Boy Scouts, "I Can Read" of Southern Illinois, the Carterville Planning Commission, the Carterville Chamber of Commerce, the Route 13 Corridor Development Group, the Educational Council of 100, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and the Alzheimer's Association; he served as president of both the SIU Alumni Association and SIU-C Jackson County Alumni Club and served on the association's national board for 9 years; he is also a member of the Carterville Lions Club, Marion Rotary Club, and Carbondale Elks Club; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of his hard work and dedication to education, Dr. Robert Mees has been the recipient of several notable honors, including the Cambridge Who's Who "Top 101 Industry Experts 2011", the Award of Merit from Educational of 100, the "Leaders Among Us" award from the Southern Business Journal, the Outstanding Educator award from Phi Delta Kappa, SIU-C Chapter, the Distinguished Service award from the SIU Alumni Association, Williamson County Chapter, the Friend of Education award from the Illinois Principals Association, Shawnee Region, the Frank Samuel Community Service award from the Carterville Chamber of Commerce, the Carterville Chamber of Commerce's Member of the Year award, the Service to Southern Illinois Award from the SIU Alumni Association, Jackson County Chapter; and the Educator of the Year awards from the Carbondale Jaycees; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Robert L. Mees on the occasion of his 40 years of service to his community as an educator and for helping to educate, inspire, and enlighten the people of southern Illinois and recognizes him for his many achievements, the leadership role he has played in education on the local, State, and international levels, and his life-long dedication to the field of education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be delivered to Dr. Robert Mees as a symbol of our respect and esteem.