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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
3to learn of the death of John Meinert, who passed away on
4December 30, 2023; and
 
5    WHEREAS, John Meinert was born in White Cloud, Michigan on
6August 11, 1927; he began working at age 12, contributing
7financial support to his mother, baby twin sisters, and
8brother through a variety of jobs, including ranch hand,
9grocery clerk, typesetter, and clothing salesman; he graduated
10high school as valedictorian at age 16 and received a
11scholarship to the University of Michigan; he was drafted in
12the U.S. Army, serving from 1945 to 1946; he concluded his
13studies at Northwestern University in 1949, earning his
14Bachelor of Science and his certified public accountant (CPA)
15license; he was drafted again and served as a sergeant in the
16U.S. Army Reserves from 1955 to 1958; and
 
17    WHEREAS, John Meinert's notable professional
18accomplishments started in 1950 at premier clothing retailer
19Hart Schaffner & Marx, later known as the Hartmarx
20Corporation, where he moved up the ranks over 40 years to
21become chairman of the board; he became chairman emeritus in
221990; he then started a new 22-year career as a principal at
23J.H. Chapman Group LLC, a Chicago investment banking firm,

 

 

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1retiring as chairman in 2012 at age 85; he also worked as an
2arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association; and
 
3    WHEREAS, John Meinert contributed to the accounting
4profession in a number of ways; he educated accounting
5students at Northwestern University and served as a faculty
6member at the Lake Forest Graduate School of Management; he
7served as president of the Illinois CPA Society, serving two
8terms on the board of directors, and on numerous committees
9with the American Institute of CPAs, where he ultimately
10served as vice president; he also wrote a column in the Journal
11of Accountancy for many years and was a longtime member of the
12Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council of the
13Financial Accounting Standards Board; and
 
14    WHEREAS, John Meinert donated his time to numerous
15endeavors and volunteer positions, including the Evanston
16Hospital Board, Northwestern University's John Evans Club, the
17Better Business Bureau, the Duncan YMCA, and the Chicagoland
18Chamber of Commerce; he served as president and later chairman
19of the Clothing Manufacturers Association of the USA from 1982
20to 1990; he was a trustee of the Amalgamated Insurance Fund and
21the Rotary International Retirement Fund; he served with the
22Leadership Circle Advisory Council for Northwestern
23University's Kellogg School of Management and chaired the
24University of Illinois Gies College of Business Advisory

 

 

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1Council; he was president of Rotary International, where he
2insistently advised on the worldwide inclusion of women,
3before becoming a foundation trustee and an assistant district
4governor, completing this service in 2000; he later served on
5the Chicago Council for Foreign Relations and Chicago Sister
6Cities International; and
 
7    WHEREAS, John Meinert accrued many accolades and honors,
8including the Gold Medal from the American Institute of
9Certified Public Accountants for Distinguished Service in
101987, the Alumni Merit Award from the Kellogg School of
11Management at Northwestern University in 1989, and the Public
12Service Award from the Illinois CPA Society in 1996; in
13recognition for his wide-ranging civic work, he was named
14Chicago Humanitarian of the Year by the Five Hospital
15Foundation in 1995; and
 
16    WHEREAS, John Meinert was a member of Community
17Presbyterian Church, The University Club of Chicago, and the
18Rolling Green Country Club, all in the Chicago area, until he
19moved to Davenport, Iowa; and
 
20    WHEREAS, John Meinert was a dependable and family-focused
21person, engendering intense loyalty from others despite his
22demanding and driven nature; he will be remembered for his
23brilliance of mind, sheer force of will, spectacular energy,

 

 

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1and stewardship; and
 
2    WHEREAS, John Meinert was preceded in death by his wife of
350 years, Ruth Joyce Meinert; and
 
4    WHEREAS, John Meinert is survived by his daughters,
5Elizabeth (Scott) Tinsman and Pamela Martin; his sisters,
6Arlene (Horst) Lichtenberger, Darlene (Tom) Rinehart, and
7Richard (Dorothy) Reynolds; seven grandchildren; three
8great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews; therefore,
9be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
12John Meinert and extend our sincere condolences to his family,
13friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of John Meinert as an expression of our
16deepest sympathy.