HR0752 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0752 LRB095 12945 GRL 39736 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives have learned that Michael Skarr, who has served as President & CEO of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce since 1996, will retire from that position at the end of 2007; and

WHEREAS, Under Michael Skarr's leadership the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce's Membership has nearly doubled and its financial fortunes have brightened considerably; he oversaw the organization's relocation to its modern headquarters in the Main Street Promenade, its move to a new Membership model, its receipt of Five-Star Accreditation from the United States Chamber of Commerce, and the recent strategic planning initiative, Chamber 2020; and

WHEREAS, Michael Skarr received an engineering degree from Marquette University and an MBA from Lewis University; he also graduated from the Middle Management Development Program at Aurora University, where he received their Outstanding Performance Award and Distinguished Alumni Award; he has served as an Adjunct Faculty Member at Aurora University's Management Development Center and at Lewis University; and

WHEREAS, Michael Skarr received a Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award in community service from Lewis University and was recognized with their Distinguished Alumni Award, in addition to currently serving as a member of the President's Council; he was a recipient of the Naperville Jaycee's Distinguished Service Award in business, the Illinois State Crime Commission's Business Leader of the Year Award, the DuPage Workforce Board's Business Leader Recognition Award, and the Extraordinary Citizen Award from the Three Fires Council Boy Scouts of America; and

WHEREAS, Michael Skarr served as a member of the Naperville Community Unit School District 203 board of education and as founding president of its Business & Education & Community Partnership, and he was a founding member of the Illinois Advisory Council on Business/Education Partnerships; he was appointed to the Illinois State Board of Education by former Governor Jim Edgar and served four years as chairperson; he has served as a member of the Governor's Economic Development Coordinating Council, the Joint Education Commission, and the Illinois Human Resource Investment Council, where he served as co-chair of the Illinois Education-To-Careers steering committee; and he is also a board member of the DuPage Workforce Board; and

WHEREAS, Michael Skarr has served as both president and a founding member of the board of directors of the Naperville Development Partnership, a public/private economic development not-for-profit corporation; he is also a founding Board member of DuPageBiz, DuPage County's economic development partnership; he serves on the Board of the World Trade Center Illinois; he is chairman of the board of directors of the Harris Bank Naperville and a member of the Center for Applications-Based Learning board of directors; he is a past President of the Naperville United Way and is a member of the board of directors of the Millennium Carillon Foundation; he serves as treasurer for the Transportation for Illinois Coalition; he serves as a member of the Naperville Downtown Plan Implementation Committee; and he has also served on the Executive Committee of the Chicago Area Council Boy Scouts of America; and

WHEREAS, Michael Skarr has had an extensive career for NICOR Inc., a Fortune 500 energy holding company; he is also President of Human Dynamics Associates; he has been appointed to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 (CCC100) and also served on the American Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors; and

WHEREAS, Michael Skarr has been married to Mary Ann since 1965; he is the proud father of Mike Jr., Mark, and Matt, and the loving grandfather of Alex, Ryan, Ashley, Jack, Sarah, Nolan, and Kaden; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Michael Skarr on his retirement and wish him the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Michael Skarr as a symbol of our respect.