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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate John F. Penn on his 
4retirement and commend him for his decades of service to the 
5members of LiUNA!, his community, and his country; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, John Penn joined Local 362 of the Laborers' 
7International Union of North America (LiUNA!) in 1965 at the 
8age of 16; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, John Penn rose through the ranks of his union, 
10serving Laborers as secretary-treasurer and business manager 
11of LiUNA! Local 362 in McLean County; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Under John Penn's leadership, LiUNA! Local 362 
13grew significantly, giving a voice to scores of workers who 
14previously had never benefited from union representation; and
 
15    WHEREAS, In response to several tragic accidents, John 
16Penn stopped all highway construction in McLean County to 
17force the State of Illinois to improve protections for 
18vulnerable workers on the State's roadways, an effort that 
19culminated in the creation of the State's Work Zone Safety 
20Committee and implementation of numerous policies and actions 
21that saved countless lives; and
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, John Penn's role in representing LiUNA! members 
2continually expanded, becoming business manager of the 
336-county North Central Illinois Laborers' District Council, 
4business manager of the four-state Great Plains Laborers' 
5District Council, and, ultimately, vice president and regional 
6manager of LiUNA!'s 10-state Midwest Region and a member of 
7the international union's General Executive Board; and
 
8    WHEREAS, John Penn was a tireless advocate for his members 
9during his 49 years of service, typically beginning his work 
10several hours before the sun would rise; and
 
11    WHEREAS, In addition to John Penn's commitment to his 
12members, he managed to volunteer his time, talents, and 
13organizing skills to numerous projects and programs that 
14improved not only the greater Bloomington-Normal area but all 
15of Illinois, including the United Way of McLean County, the 
16Children's Christmas Party for Unemployed Families, and the 
17McLean County Promise Council; and
 
18    WHEREAS, John Penn has been a member of the Special 
19Olympics Illinois Board of Directors and has recruited dozens 
20of LiUNA! Local 362 members to volunteer at the Special 
21Olympics State Games every year for more than 40 years; and
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, John Penn is a proud veteran of the United States 
2Air Force having served in South Korea, Vietnam, and Guam; and
  
 
3    WHEREAS, The issues faced by veterans of all branches of 
4our nation's armed forces have long been a concern of John Penn 
5and prompted him to establish the Midwest Region Veterans' 
6Committee and encourage all LiUNA! local unions to create 
7veterans' committees of their own; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, John Penn was a 2022 inductee to the Illinois 
9Labor History Society's Union Hall of Honor, was honored by 
10the Bloomington Pantagraph as its 2003 Person of the Year, and 
11received a Thousand Points of Light Foundation award from 
12President Bill Clinton in 1997 on behalf of his volunteer 
13efforts and those of all Bloomington-Normal building 
14tradespeople; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, John Penn has been a devoted husband of 55 years 
16to his wife, Mary, a loving father to their daughter, Shawn, 
17and doting grandfather of three and great-grandfather of five; 
18therefore, be it
  
 
19    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
20HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
21we congratulate John F. Penn on his retirement and commend him 
22for his decades of service to the members of LiUNA!, his 
 
 
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1community, and his country; and be it further
  
 
2    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
3presented to John Penn as a symbol of our esteem and respect.