HR0708 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0708 LRB094 14854 AJO 49855 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Gordon A. Taylor Jr., the Western Illinois University Associate Vice President for Alumni Programs will retire, after 35 years of service, on January 31, 2006; and

WHEREAS, He received a bachelor's degree in management from Western Illinois University in 1968; at the University of Florida in 1970, he earned his Master's Degree in Business Administration; in 1980, the University of Florida conferred upon Gordon A. Taylor, Jr. the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Management; and

WHEREAS, In 1970, Taylor returned to Western as an assistant professor in the Management Department where he taught until 1978, when he was appointed the Director of Alumni Programs; and

WHEREAS, Under Dr. Taylor's leadership, the Western Illinois University Alumni Association substantially expanded its program beyond traditional social events to a comprehensive set of alumni services including: career counseling; life and medical insurance with low group rates; the WIU affinity credit card; the Alumni Travel Abroad program; University library access; the student loan consolidation program; an online alumni directory; an alumni newspaper; alumni awards; and a full array of homecoming activities, class reunions, and social events in Macomb and throughout the United States; and

WHEREAS, The Alumni Association includes all 95,000 WIU graduates; and

WHEREAS, The Council for Achievement and Support of Education recognized Gordon and the WIU Alumni Association with several awards including the 1994 Grand Gold Award for Overall Alumni Program; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor's contributions have reached beyond the campus; he is the co-author of the book, "How to Set up an Alumni Relations Program"; he served on the Governor's Small Business Advisory Council from 1986-1992 and is currently on the Board of Savings Institutions in the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation; and

WHEREAS, University President Al Goldfarb noted that, "Gordy has been the vital link for alumni and friends of Western throughout the country. His unique style bridges the gap between all generations of Western alumni"; and

WHEREAS, The University bestowed upon Dr. Taylor the Western Illinois University Administrative Service Award for his contributions to the University and his profession; and

WHEREAS, Demonstrating that his Western ties will not be severed easily, Gordy will return part-time as the Director of Special Projects for the University's next capital campaign; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Dr. Gordon A. Taylor for his years of public service at Western Illinois University and the Western Alumni Association and wish him all the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Gordon A. Taylor, Jr. as an expression of our esteem.