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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Vicki L. Haugen of Danville, who passed
4away on February 11, 2020; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen was born to Cleta and Melvin Taylor
6on July 27, 1957; she graduated from Danville High School; she
7graduated from the Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the
8University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Business
9Administration; she took wedding vows with Wayne Haugen in
10Maui, Hawaii in 2005; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen joined the Economic Development
12Corporation in Danville at its inception in 1982; she initially
13served as the Vice President of Marketing and then as the
14President and CEO until 2002; she was a faculty member for the
15Illinois Basic Economic Development program since 1995; she
16became the founding President and CEO of Vermilion Advantage in
172002; she was recognized as the heart of that organization,
18serving with distinction until 2020; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen was responsible for the
20implementation and oversight of economic development
21activities, business services, and workforce development for
22Vermilion County; as a direct result of her work, thousands of

 

 

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1local jobs were created and retained, ensuring Vermilion
2County's viability; her tireless efforts resulted in new
3business locations and/or extensive local expansions,
4including Alcoa, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Thyssenkrupp
5(formerly Krupp Gerlach), McLane Midwest, AutoZone
6Distribution, StraPack, Freight Car Services, Sygma, Hoopeston
7Foods, REG, Watchfire Signs, Automation International, and
8Fiberteq; she was the driving force in the development of both
9the Eastgate and Southgate Industrial Parks; her leadership was
10critical to the success of an 18-month retail expansion for
11Danville in 2013 that created over 500,000 square feet of new
12retail space and significantly repurposed existing spaces;
13most recently, she led a successful coalition which resulted in
14securing a long-pursued casino and a $70 million Carle Hospital
15investment in Danville's west downtown area; her pioneering
16workforce development initiatives resulted in new education
17and training programs, scholarships, apprenticeships, and
18internships, which impacted thousands of local residents, and
19her blue print "Best Practices" was named one of the seven best
20in the nation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen received a number of regional and
22national awards during her career, such as the Business &
23Professional Women's Club Woman of the Year Award, the United
24Way of Danville Area Women United Leadership Award, and being
25named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary

 

 

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1International; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen was involved in a number of
3organizations, including the Danville Rotary, the Executive
4Club, and the United Way as a campaign chair; she was selected
5by then Illinois Governor Jim Edgar to serve as a member of the
6Economic Development Board in 1993 and 1997; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen was deeply committed to giving back
8to the community she loved; she will forever be remembered for
9her mentorship, positive can-do determination, compassion,
10sound judgment, and indomitable spirit; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen was preceded in death by her parents;
12and
 
13    WHEREAS, Vicki Haugen is survived by her husband, Wayne
14Haugen; her stepdaughter, Diana Stewart-Jewsbury; Diana's twin
15daughters, Claire and Nora; and Diana's husband, Eric Jewsbury;
16therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
18ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
19Vicki L. Haugen and extend our sincere condolences to her
20husband, family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and
21be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2presented to the family of Vicki L. Haugen as an expression of
3our deepest sympathy.