HR0132 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0132 LRB096 11718 GRL 22440 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor our esteemed colleague, State Representative George Scully, for his many years of dedicated service to the people of the 80th District and the State of Illinois; we also wish to congratulate him on his appointment to become a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County; and

WHEREAS, George Scully was first elected to office in November of 1996; he has served with distinction for more than 12 years; he has remained mindful of the incredible trust and responsibility placed in him by his constituents to look out for their best interests and those of the people of Illinois; as a man of impeccable integrity, independent thought, and keen intellect, he has brought honor to his office and to this body; and

WHEREAS, Representative Scully has been the epitome of a scholar and a gentlemen; he has always treated everyone equally and gone out of his way to show particular kindness and appreciation to his legislative staff; always unfailingly professional and polite, he has never hesitated to reach across the aisle to make common cause with colleagues on the other side of the partisan divide; throughout his legislative career, he has conducted himself according to the wise words first articulated by President Harry S. Truman, "It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit"; and

WHEREAS, Representative Scully has played a key role in helping to pass legislation to improve the lives of his fellow Illinoisans, including measures to increase the minimum wage, expand health care access to the uninsured, revise the State's telecommunications laws, modernize the workers' compensation system, create incentives for economic development, improve schools, increase public safety, and strengthen ethics and elections statutes; and

WHEREAS, In the 95th General Assembly, Representative Scully served as the Chairman of the Electric Utility Oversight Committee; in that capacity, he helped to shepherd to passage legislation to roll back State-wide electric rate increases, to provide rebates to consumers, and to implement significant reforms to the State's laws governing power procurement; and

WHEREAS, Representative Scully has helped to make a difference in the South Suburbs through his volunteer work; his civic participation includes the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP South Suburban Chapter, the National Council of Jewish Women, and the League of Women Voters; he has also been the sponsor of numerous youth sport teams; and

WHEREAS, For the last 13 years, George Scully has run a successful private law practice, primarily representing financial institutions and small businesses; he is an adjunct professor at Governor's State University, where he teaches business law; he previously worked as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel of both Amalgamated Bank of Chicago and Cole Taylor Bank; and

WHEREAS, George Scully is a proud graduate of Brother Rice High School in Chicago, Northern Illinois University, and the John Marshall Law School; and

WHEREAS, George Scully and his wife, Barbara, are the proud parents of three daughters, Elizabeth, Christine and Amanda; Barbara has also helped George to operate his law practice and has always been his partner in the fullest sense of that word; and

WHEREAS, George Scully is an accomplished marathoner, having traveled as far as Dublin, Ireland to compete and having also qualified and run in the Boston Marathon; he has served as the leader of a prestigious and exclusive running club that ran regularly in Springfield's Washington Park during the early morning hours; club members affectionately referred to Representative Scully as "Sarge" and "the Big Toe"; they were greatly appreciative of his supreme generosity in sharing running gloves and other gear to unprepared runners; they were often mesmerized by his high tech gizmos and running accessories; and

WHEREAS, While the members of the Illinois House are sorry that Representative Scully is leaving our ranks, that feeling is greatly tempered by the knowledge that he will continue his exemplary service to the people of Illinois as a jurist; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we wish State Representative George Scully all the best in his future endeavors and congratulate him on his service to the people of the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to State Representative George Scully as an expression of our deep esteem and respect.