HR0477 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0477 LRB096 13140 GRL 27574 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Joseph C. Szabo on the occasion of being selected to serve as Federal Railroad Administrator by President Barack Obama; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Szabo is a fifth-generation railroader whose ancestors worked for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Wabash, and Illinois Central (IC) Railroads; while still in high school, he assisted his father, a 40-year IC switchman and 14-year union officer, with his bookkeeping work as secretary/treasurer of UTU Local 1299; he was hired to work for the Illinois Central in 1976, where he was employed as a yard switchman, road trainman, and commuter passenger conductor; he became an employee of Metra when IC sold its Commuter Division in 1987; and

WHEREAS, By 1984, Joseph Szabo was following in his father's footsteps, winning the election to serve as secretary/treasurer of UTU Local 1290; he later progressed to become Local 1290's Delegate and Legislative Representative, eventually winning the election to serve as Vice Chairman of the UTU Illinois Legislative Board in 1991; in February of 1996, he was elected to serve as State Director of the UTU Illinois Legislative Board; since then, he has been re-elected by acclamation three times in 2000, 2004, and 2008; in October of 2006, he was appointed to the position of vice president of the Illinois AFL-CIO and, in October 2008, was elected to a full four-year term; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Szabo was also active in local government in the Chicago suburb of Riverdale for more than twenty years, eventually serving as mayor; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Szabo served as a member of the South Suburban Mayors Transportation Committee and Vice Chairman of the Chicago Area Transportation Study's Executive Committee; following the 2002 gubernatorial election, he co-chaired the Freight Rail Sub-Committee of Governor Rod Blagojevich's Transition Team; since 2005, he has been assigned by the UTU International to the Federal Railroad Administration's Rail Safety Advisory Committee, where he participates in the drafting of rail-safety regulations; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Szabo has served in a variety of positions to help decision makers in State government shape a transportation and economic development vision for Illinois; he held an advisory position on the State of Illinois Growth Task Force and previously served on the Executive Council of Metropolis 2020; he is also a former member of Business Leaders for Transportation and the legislative advisory committee for the Metropolitan Planning Council; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Szabo earned his bachelor's degree in labor relations from Governors State University in 1990; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Szabo served as the Alternate National Legislative Director of the UTU's National Legislative Office in Washington from January 15, 2009 until his resignation on May 4, 2009; on May 5, 2009, he was sworn in to serve as the Federal Railroad Administrator; and

WHEREAS, Joseph Szabo serves as a model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Joseph C. Szabo on the occasion of being selected to serve as Federal Railroad Administrator and wish him continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

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