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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor Donna and Leonard Harris,
4 co-owners of Chatham Foods Center in Chicago, for 21 years of
5 dedicated service to their community; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Donna and Leonard Harris have owned and operated
7 the Chatham Food Center, located in the Chatham Neighborhood on
8 the south side of Chicago, since 1987; and
 
9     WHEREAS, After receiving his bachelor's degree in
10 accounting and becoming a Certified Public Accountant, Leonard
11 Harris accepted a position with Food Basket Certified Grocery
12 Store in 1973, working closely with the owner, Mr. Ernest T.
13 Collins; over the following five years, he also worked at the
14 other Collins chain stores located at 79th & Yates and 103rd &
15 King Drive in Chicago; Mr. Collins served as young Mr. Harris'
16 mentor, advising him to invest in the business; Mr. Collins'
17 advice inspired Mr. Harris to acquire 11 percent of the
18 business and become an officer in the Food Basket Grocery
19 chain, eventually serving as Vice President and President; and
 
20     WHEREAS, After a time as friends, Donna and Leonard Harris
21 formulated their friendship into a business partnership and
22 opened their first store, the Harbor Food Center, Inc. in East

 

 

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1 Chicago, Indiana, in 1980; two years later, in 1982, they got
2 married; Donna Harris brought retail experience into their
3 partnership, having worked at Jewel Foods in several
4 capacities; together, they maintained and operated the Harbor
5 Food Center until 1987; and
 
6     WHEREAS, In 1987, Donna and Leonard Harris acquired the
7 Chatham Food Center; the two have been major stakeholders in
8 the Chatham community for 19 years; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Together, Donna and Leonard Harris have acquired
10 many recognitions, including the Rainbow PUSH Coalition
11 Business of the Year, the Shell Academy Community Mentoring
12 Award, the WVON Kwanzaa Community Leadership and Service Award,
13 the Cosmopolitan Chamber of Commerce Eliose Johnson Award, the
14 Chesterfield Community Council Business Leadership Award, and
15 the Chatham Avalon Park Business of the Year; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Donna and Leonard Harris' entrepreneurial spirit
17 and long-term commitment to their community serves as an
18 inspiration to the citizens of the State of Illinois;
19 therefore, be it
 
20     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
22 honor Donna and Leonard Harris, co-owners of Chatham Foods

 

 

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1 Center in Chicago, for 21 years of dedicated service to their
2 community and wish them continued success and happiness in the
3 future; and be it further
 
4     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
5 presented to Donna and Leonard Harris as a symbol of our esteem
6 and respect.