SR0703 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0703 LRB097 21078 GRL 68434 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Alvin J. Boutte, Sr.; and

WHEREAS, Alvin Boutte, Sr. was born on October 10, 1929, in Lake Charles, Louisiana; his parents were Arthur H. Boutte and Adorea Darensbourg Boutte; and

WHEREAS, Alvin Boutte, Sr. attended Sacred Heart Grammar and High School; he then continued his education under the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana on a basketball scholarship; while attending the University he met his future wife, Barbara Gonzaque; and

WHEREAS, During college, Alvin Boutte, Sr. established businesses to service the needs of the student body, including a laundry pick up and payment collection business for the male students; after earning his degree in pharmacy, he moved to Chicago where a Xavier track coach, Ralph Metcalfe, had already established himself as Alderman of the 3rd Ward; and

WHEREAS, After college, Alvin Boutte, Sr. successfully completed the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School; he attained the rank of Captain and was stationed in Germany; after 2 years, he was honorably discharged and went to Chicago with his wife and daughters, Janice and Jeanette; after migrating to Chicago, he quickly acquired Lakeside Drug Store at 47th and Lake Park; he later turned the store into a chain of stores at 47th and Lake Park, Madison and Western, 79th and Cottage, and 79th and Michigan in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, In 1964, Alvin Boutte, Sr. became a co-founder of Independence Bank of Chicago; the bank was established to service the needs of the Chatham Avalon community and was dedicated to providing excellent service to its customers and to the professional development of its employees; he was most proud of the development of his staff to become presidents of other minority banks across the country and to hold executive positions; and

WHEREAS, Alvin Boutte, Sr. helped to advance the fledging Civil Rights Movement by repeatedly contributing money to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his Southern Christian Leadership Conference; he was also a key contributor with the group of businessmen who brought Nelson Mandela to Chicago in the summer of 1993 to raise money for his ANC political organization after he was freed; and

WHEREAS, Alvin Boutte, Sr. served as Chairman of Fulcrum Venture Capital Corporation, an early government-backed venture fund established to provide growth equity to create long standing minority-owned businesses; he also served on the boards of directors of Johnson Products Co., Chicago Metropolitan Mutual Assurance Co., Midway Airlines, Rainbow PUSH, the Chicago Urban League, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Junior Achievement, and the Chatham Business Association, among many others; he was appointed to the Chicago Board of Education by Mayor Richard J. Daley, and served 2 terms as one of the first African-American board members; and

WHEREAS, Alvin Boutte, Sr. received accolades and awards and was proudest of being Co-Chair of the Chicago Urban League Golden Fellowship gala; he was inducted into the Junior Achievement Chicago Businessmen Hall of Fame in 1993; and

WHEREAS, Alvin Boutte, Sr. is survived by his wife, Barbara; his daughters, Janice Boutte and Jeanette Simpson; his sons, Gregory and Alvin, Jr.; his 4 grandchildren; his 4 great-grandchildren; and his many other relatives, friends, and admirers; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Alvin Boutte, Sr.; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Alvin Boutte, Sr. as an expression of our sympathy.