SR0181 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0181 LRB103 31799 MST 60401 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate Ryan Risinger on the occasion of his retirement from the Buffalo Grove Park District on May 26, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger was first employed by the Buffalo Grove Park District as an intern in May of 1992 after earning his bachelor's degree in parks and recreation from Illinois State University; he was hired full-time as recreation supervisor in November of that same year; he was then promoted to division manager in 1996, superintendent of recreation in 2001, director of recreation and facilities in 2010, and deputy director in 2013; he was named executive director on November 29, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger continued his education while working full-time for the Buffalo Grove Park District; he attended Indiana University's Executive Development Program, North Carolina State's School of Sports Management at Oglebay, and Disney Institute's Keys to Success and Customer Loyalty Programs; he is a certified Park and Recreation Executive and earned his master's degree in public administration from Villanova in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger became active in the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA) through the recreation section and eventually the administration and finance section; he served on the Mentoring Committee and was recognized by the IPRA for his efforts and contributions as Mentoring Committee Chairman in 2003 and 2004; he has spoken on various educational topics, including The Ups & Downs of Skate Parks and It Takes a Village: Controlling the Crisis, which focused on the importance of community crisis training with local law enforcement; he also co-authored a partnership article titled A Wireless Solution that was featured in the Illinois Park and Recreation magazine; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger's advocacy efforts for parks and recreation on a national level led the Buffalo Grove Park District to be named National Recreation and Park Association's Park Champion of the Year in 2015; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger, as executive director, was actively involved in the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) and IPRA's Distinguished Accreditation program committee; he served as co-chair in 2017 and chair in 2018; he remained on the committee in 2019 and 2020 and was co-chair in 2022; the Buffalo Grove Park District was accredited five times over his 30-year career; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger was an advocate for professional development and ensured that his district's staff had the opportunity to attend state conferences as well as national/regional professional development programs; he has been a respected and dedicated leader who promoted a positive work culture where people not only wanted to work but wanted to stay throughout their career; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger fostered positive relationships with governmental agencies, including the Village of Buffalo Grove, school districts, the Indian Trails Public Library District, sports affiliate groups, and sponsors; he was an active member of the Rotary Club of Buffalo Grove, where he served as president in 2017-18; he served on the Northwest Special Recreation Association Board of Directors from 2015 to 2022, including as chairman in 2020; he was a member of the Special Leisure Services Foundation Board of Trustees in 2021 and 2022 and was a long-standing liaison to the Buffalo Grove Chamber of Commerce; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger oversaw the renovation of the Buffalo Grove Park District's Community Arts Center; partially funded with a PARC grant, the 41,000 SF LEED-certified facility was developed with the arts in mind; it has a state-of-the-art, 360 tiered-seat theater with an ADA accessible sound booth, concessions, box office, multipurpose areas, and an art gallery; the center offers over a 100 different classes with more than 852 performers yearly, as well performing arts camps that serve more than 400 campers; it operates as a rental hub year-round for local groups including churches, synagogues, arangetrams, quinceaneras, community outreach groups, non-profits, and other local government agencies; the district was honored to receive the distinction of Outstanding Facility Award: Division II for this facility by the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association in January of 2020; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger's leadership enabled the district to complete many park developments, including the renovation of the district's park gem, Willow Stream Park, which received upgraded pathways, additional trails, a new playground, pool upgrades and slide, permeable paving, and a pavilion; that project was followed by a large renovation of Reiner Park (formerly Green Lake Park) with the addition of a cricket pitch, outdoor exercise equipment, a fishing pier, and a butterfly garden; he also oversaw the development of the Educational Gardens and Classroom at Mike Rylko Community Park, which encourages the community to be curious about the natural world with a focus on food sustainability and native plants; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger also oversaw the Alcott Center pre-school wing renovation, the construction of the Golf Dome, and the proposed Prairie Grove and Parkchester Park renovations, as well as the Spray 'N Play expansion and Amphitheater construction at Mike Rylko Community Park; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger's legacy of service will leave a lasting impact on the State of Illinois parks and recreation field and on the community of Buffalo Grove; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Ryan Risinger on his retirement from the Buffalo Grove Park District, and we wish him well in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ryan Risinger as a symbol of our respect and esteem.