Full Text of SR0315 96th General Assembly
SR0315 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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| SENATE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 |
| learn of the death of Terrence L. Barnich of Chicago, who was | 4 |
| killed on May 25, 2009 while serving his country as Deputy | 5 |
| Director of the Iraq Transition Assistance Office; and
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| WHEREAS, Despite a highly successful career in State | 7 |
| government and the private sector, Terry Barnich chose to | 8 |
| devote much of his time and energy in recent years to the | 9 |
| valiant effort to bring democracy to the people of Iraq, | 10 |
| serving at great personal sacrifice and ultimately giving his | 11 |
| life to advance the cause of peace and democracy in the region; | 12 |
| and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich arrived in Iraq in the tumultuous | 14 |
| early days of the surge led by General David Petraeus and | 15 |
| remained in the country, taking a leave from his duties as | 16 |
| Chief Executive Office of New Paradigm Resources Group in order | 17 |
| to pursue his mission in Iraq; and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich went to Iraq following a | 19 |
| distinguished career in the public sector, which included | 20 |
| serving as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission from | 21 |
| 1989 to 1993; and
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| WHEREAS, Prior to his service on the Illinois Commerce | 2 |
| Commission, Terry Barnich served as General Counsel to Governor | 3 |
| James Thompson, where he provided a wide array of legal advice | 4 |
| to the Governor, his staff, and various cabinet directors; he | 5 |
| also lent his expertise in analyzing and drafting legislation, | 6 |
| executive orders, and administrative review; and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich's lifelong commitment to justice | 8 |
| was at the heart of his service when, as counsel to the | 9 |
| Governor in the 1980s, he gained a high public profile | 10 |
| assisting in the investigation of an alleged rapist, which | 11 |
| eventually led to the exoneration of the individual on the | 12 |
| basis of DNA evidence and a commutation of the sentence by the | 13 |
| Governor; and | 14 |
| WHEREAS, Prior to his government service, Terry Barnich | 15 |
| worked as an associate of the law firm of McDermott, Will & | 16 |
| Emery from 1979 to 1983 and at Rudnick & Wolfe from 1983 to | 17 |
| 1984, where he concentrated in the practice of commercial | 18 |
| litigation; and
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| WHEREAS, After his service with Illinois government, Terry | 20 |
| Barnich was hired by the Bell Atlantic Corporation to lead its | 21 |
| national strategy for securing the necessary 48-state | 22 |
| regulatory approvals of its proposed merger with the TCI cable | 23 |
| company; and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich then formed a consulting practice in | 2 |
| Chicago - New Paradigm Resources Group, Inc. - which | 3 |
| concentrated on providing regulatory, public policy, and | 4 |
| competitive strategic planning advice to companies operating | 5 |
| in formerly regulated industries, such as the retail energy and | 6 |
| telecommunications fields; and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich has been widely published on a | 8 |
| variety of utility and political topics, in such journals as | 9 |
| The Wall Street Journal , the Journal of Commerce , Public | 10 |
| Utilities Fortnightly , The Washington Times , and the Chicago | 11 |
| Tribune ; and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich grew up in Chicago's Hegewisch | 13 |
| community and graduated from Washington High School; he earned | 14 |
| his bachelor's degree from Georgetown University in | 15 |
| Washington, D.C. and his law degree from Fordham University in | 16 |
| New York City; and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich is survived by his mother, Genevieve | 18 |
| Ketel; his brother, Bruce Barnich; his sister, Rochelle | 19 |
| Barnich; and his many friends around the world; and
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich's commitment to the greater good is | 21 |
| reflected in the comments of friends and former colleagues, |
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| upon learning of his death; former Illinois Governor James | 2 |
| Thompson, for whom he worked as chief legal counsel, said "It's | 3 |
| not often you find people who are experienced and know how to | 4 |
| make things work, but also have a sense of public service and | 5 |
| the obligation of citizenry. He had both." ; former Treasurer | 6 |
| Judy Baar Topinka, for whom he served as campaign manager for | 7 |
| her 2006 gubernatorial bid, said "He wanted to make the world | 8 |
| and everything around him better." ; his friend and former | 9 |
| Baghdad colleague, Philip O'Connor, said "He fought his battles | 10 |
| with a briefcase and a computer... he was a true patriot and | 11 |
| hero..." ; and
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| WHEREAS, A large and diverse universe of friends and | 13 |
| colleagues are left with innumerable memories of Terry | 14 |
| Barnich's camaraderie, quick wit, self-effacing and irreverent | 15 |
| sense of humor, and ability to bring an element of fun to even | 16 |
| the most serious and stressful situation;
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| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich is fondly remembered as a true | 18 |
| patriot who was committed to his mission of reconstructing the | 19 |
| physical, economic, and intellectual infrastructure of Iraq | 20 |
| with an unrelenting focus on the goals of spreading democracy, | 21 |
| improving world peace, and relieving the suffering of the | 22 |
| people of Iraq;
and | 23 |
| WHEREAS, Terry Barnich's legacy will endure as his friends |
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| and colleagues throughout the world, despite their grief and | 2 |
| sadness, recommit themselves to follow their passions, embrace | 3 |
| the importance of public service, and live life courageously; | 4 |
| therefore, be it | 5 |
| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL | 6 |
| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 7 |
| Terry Barnich and his service to the State of Illinois, the | 8 |
| United States of America, and the citizens of the world, while | 9 |
| at the same time celebrating his legacy of quiet, hard-working | 10 |
| leadership and commitment to the greater good; and be it | 11 |
| further
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| RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 13 |
| presented to the family and friends of Terry Barnich with our | 14 |
| sincere sympathies and our abiding respect, admiration, and | 15 |
| love for a great man who was doing great things.
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