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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate William "Bill" McCartney
4on the occasion of his retirement as Executive Director of the
5Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Association; and
 
6    WHEREAS, William McCartney is a lifelong resident of
7Illinois and has contributed innumerable hours and in countless
8ways to enhance the quality of life for people in our State,
9especially in and around his beloved hometown of Pittsfield;
10and
 
11    WHEREAS, William McCartney graduated from Argenta High
12School in 1955 and graduated from the University of Illinois at
13Urbana-Champaign in 1960 with a degree in agriculture; his
14involvement in soil and water conservation and the Illinois
15Grape Growers and Vintners Association were natural outlets for
16his concern for preserving and protecting natural resources and
17for responsibly enjoying the delicious fruit which Illinois
18soil can produce; and
 
19    WHEREAS, William McCartney was chosen by his colleagues,
20peers, and employers for leadership positions in the United
21States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service and
22various resource conservation and development programs in

 

 

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1numerous counties in western Illinois; he was later selected as
2Executive Director of the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners
3Association, where he has been at the forefront of the first
4significant and successful efforts to partner with the State
5and provide resources to the industry which has helped grow the
6wine business in Illinois from a few isolated wineries and
7growers in the mid-1980s; now, over 100 wineries and hundreds
8of acres of grapes are thriving in Illinois from border to
9border and river to river; and
 
10    WHEREAS, William McCartney has been fortunate to raise four
11adult children, Martin Sean McCartney (deceased), Jeffery
12Scott McCartney, Leslie McCartney Ivers, and David William
13McCartney, and has been a cherished companion of his wife
14Phyllis; and
 
15    WHEREAS, William McCartney has found time to be a
16dependable and valuable member of the Pittsfield Masonic Lodge,
17the Pike County Shrine Club, the Loyal Order of the Moose in
18Pittsfield, and many other volunteer and community
19organizations which have benefitted from his involvement; and
 
20    WHEREAS, William McCartney retired from the day-to-day
21operations of the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners
22Association, but remains a valuable resource for members of the
23industry and members of the Illinois General Assembly alike;

 

 

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1and
 
2    WHEREAS, William McCartney's retirement gives him more
3opportunities to play golf and enjoy a good glass of Illinois
4wine; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
6NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
7congratulate William "Bill" McCartney on the occasion of his
8retirement as Executive Director of the Illinois Grape Growers
9and Vintners Association and thank him for his devoted service
10to his community, his State, and his nation and for playing
11such a key role in the development of this vital Illinois
12industry; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
14provided to Bill McCartney, his family, and the Illinois Grape
15Growers and Vintners Association so that his contributions may
16be forever remembered.