HR0285 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0285 LRB103 32394 MST 61825 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate the Illinois Manufacturers' Association on the occasion of its 130th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association began serving the manufacturers of Illinois in 1893, with the first meeting held at the Medinah Temple in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association is the oldest and one of the largest state manufacturing trade associations in the United States, representing more than 4,000 manufacturing facilities; and

WHEREAS, Manufacturing contributes the single-largest share (14%) of the State's gross state product (GSP) with a $580 billion economic impact in 2022; and

WHEREAS, Illinois manufacturing directly provides between 628,418 and 662,298 jobs, 9.5% of total employment in Illinois, with an average annual wage of almost $80,000 and indirectly supports between 1.68 million and 1.77 million jobs; these jobs compose 29.6% of Illinois total employment; and

WHEREAS, Manufacturers feed the world, make life saving products, power our homes and businesses, build our infrastructure, transport people and products around the globe, and provide for our nation's defense; and

WHEREAS, Manufacturing makes the world a better place to live every single day, and manufacturers are the innovators and entrepreneurs, the builders and producers, the dreamers and leaders of America, and the solution to many of the challenges facing our State and nation; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association is one of the greatest contributing factors to manufacturing success in Illinois, standing as an advocate and leading voice for industry across the State; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association and the IMA Education Foundation are focused on education and workforce to build a pipeline of workers for the manufacturing sector, which includes championing two new manufacturing academies, Career and Technical Education in K-12 schools, and an apprenticeship tax credit; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association's Education Foundation provides scholarships to high school students who enroll in manufacturing courses as well as scholarships to community college students that are studying skilled trades across the State; and

WHEREAS, In 2020, the Illinois Manufacturers' Association created Makers Madness: The Coolest Thing Made in Illinois, generating a competitive spirit among manufacturers in the State to showcase the innovation and ingenuity of our State's manufacturing sector; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association hosted its inaugural Makers on the Move bus tour to celebrate Manufacturing Month in October 2022 across the State to spotlight the great work Illinois' manufacturers do every day and showcase modern manufacturing that is high-tech, clean, diverse, and sustainable; in 2022, the Makers on the Move bus tour made 20 stops at manufacturing facilities, colleges, and high schools throughout the State and logged approximately 2,100 miles in seven days by visiting and highlighting exciting job opportunities in the diverse and innovative industry; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association's Women in Illinois Manufacturing Council was created to provide connection, education, mentorship, and fellowship to support current women in the industry and encourage the next generation; this active and engaged group has come together to network and learn from each other, to learn about personal development, and to intentionally showcase opportunities that encourage girls in STEM careers; and

WHEREAS, During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Illinois Manufacturers' Association played an integral part in identifying essential manufacturers for producing life-saving products for first responders and health care professions; the IMA was asked by Governor JB Pritzker to co-chair the State's Equipment Task Force and was appointed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to lead the B2B Recovery Group that included manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, construction, and utilities in the State; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association hosted its first annual Moving Makers Forward Education Summit in 2022 that featured manufacturers, local economic development councils, educators, and recruitment experts; panelists deeply explored the current worker shortage, building a regional talent pipeline, legislative proposals to assist with expanding career exploration, and company culture that could provide real solutions to incorporate in addressing local workforce crises; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association was named by the American Society of Association Executives as one of the 100 Associations Saving the World for their efforts to increase production of essential items, foster collaboration by companies, increase efficiency, and address regulator challenges; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Manufacturers' Association won the inaugural 2022 Leadership Award from the Conference of State Manufacturers Associations (COSMA) for their work to attract and maintain the manufacturing workforce and for the innovative ways they have helped their members address workforce challenges; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Illinois Manufacturers' Association on its 130th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commend the Illinois Manufacturers' Association for their commitment to advocating for Illinois manufacturers and for recognizing the work Illinois manufacturers do every day for our State and the nation; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we thank Illinois manufacturers, their employees, and the Illinois Manufacturers' Association for their dedication to their industry and their efforts in workforce development, and we wish the IMA continued success; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Manufacturers' Association as an expression of our esteem and respect.