HR1489 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1489 LRB095 22240 GRL 52551 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Ronald Burton Watkins, noted author, entrepreneur, and economic development consultant; and

WHEREAS, Ron Watkins began his entrepreneurial career in 1965, when he opened Mr. Lucky's Jazz Club on the south side of Chicago, featuring some of Chicago's best jazz artists; in 1968, he founded Expressions In Black, an entertainment and speaker's bureau presenting African American artists and lecturers on college campuses throughout the United States; and

WHEREAS, In 1975, Ron Watkins founded and served as Chairman of The Chicago Association of Audio Visual Producers; In 1977, he joined the staff of the Illinois Department of Economic Development as the first African American to be employed by the state as an Industrial Development Consultant; and

WHEREAS, In 1979, Ron Watkins was appointed by the governor as the Director of Minority Business Enterprise for the State of Illinois; during his tenure, he initiated the state's first Minority Export Assistance Program and organized trade missions to Haiti, Jamaica, and the Bahamas; he served in this position until 1984, when he resigned to pursue his interests in international trade; and

WHEREAS, In 1989, Ron Watkins moved to Liberia in western Africa and established The Sub-Saharan Gold and Diamond Fund, an offshore trading company involved in gold brokerage and import of machinery and equipment used by gold and diamond miners in Liberia; and

WHEREAS, In 1992, Ron Watkins founded The Heritage International Trade Association, a not for profit membership organization providing technical assistance and consultant services to small businesses interested in global trade; and

WHEREAS, In 1994, Ron Watkins completed and published his first book, "Doing Business In Africa, Myths and Realities"; from 1995 to 2001, he wrote a monthly column, "Thinking Globally", for Afrique Newsmagazine in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, In 2000, Ron Watkins founded The African Trade Center Association with a $200,000 research grant from the State of Illinois to conduct a feasibility study on establishing an African Trade Center in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, In 2006, Ron Watkins completed the manuscript for his second book, "Cooperative Economics, A Global Vision for Black Economic Development"; in the same year, he founded and served as the president of the Liberian-American Center for Trade & Development; and

WHEREAS, Ron Watkins was featured in Crain's Chicago Business, The Chicago Tribune, The Network Journal Magazine, The Weekly Standard, The Chicago Defender, and The Wall Street Journal and appeared on several local radio and television talk shows; he also taught International Business in the Chicago City College system and organized several trade missions and seminars on trade and investment with Africa and the Caribbean; and

WHEREAS, Ron was preceded in death by his father, George (Cookie) Watkins, and his mother, Louise Watkins; and

WHEREAS, Ron Watkins is survived by his children, Ronald (Suzan) Harris, Pamela Williams, Burton (Anita) Amos, and Sheila Watkins; his sisters, Rodena Jackson and Shazzada Wilkens; his brother, Kenyatta Watkins; his nephews, Alvin Jackson, Jr. and Antonio Jones, Jr.; his fifteen grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren; and a host of friends that he considered family; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Ronald Burton Watkins; and be it further

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