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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Laurence
4J. Msall, who passed away on February 4, 2023; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Laurence Msall was born to Emil and Lucille Msall
6in Chicago in the winter of 1962; he graduated from St.
7Ignatius High School in Chicago in 1980; he earned his
8bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Knox
9College in Galesburg in 1984, where he was a member of the Phi
10Delta Theta fraternity; he earned his Juris Doctor at Loyola
11University School of Law, Evening Division, in 1992; he
12married Nicola Hill-Cordell in 2018; and
 
13    WHEREAS, After graduating from Knox College, Laurence
14Msall moved to Springfield to work for then-Governor Jim
15Thompson at the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs;
16in 1990, he joined the staff of the Commercial Club of Chicago
17as vice president, where he worked with the CEOs of some of
18Chicago's largest corporations to promote regional economic
19development strategies and special projects, including the
20Chicago Bears stadium and reorganization of the United Way of
21Chicago; in 1999, he was appointed by then-Governor George H.
22Ryan as senior advisor for Economic Development, where he was
23responsible for the oversight of 11 of the State's economic

 

 

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1development and infrastructure-related agencies; and
 
2    WHEREAS, In January 2002, Laurence Msall became president
3of the Civic Federation, an independent, non-partisan
4government research organization; over his 20-year tenure as
5president, he worked tirelessly to make the organization an
6indispensable source of reliable fiscal information and
7government process recommendations to public officials, the
8media, and the general public; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Laurence Msall belonged to several organizations,
10including the Board of Directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago,
11the Chicago Civic Consulting Alliance, the Cook County Health
12Nominating Committee, and the Kennedy Forum of Illinois; he
13served on the Knox College Board of Trustees since 2017, which
14included serving on the 2020-21 Presidential Search Committee;
15he also served on the Advisory Board of the University of
16Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs and NPR
17Illinois Issues; and
 
18    WHEREAS, Laurence Msall was an active volunteer with PADS
19Homeless Shelter and L'arche Chicago; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Laurence Msall was an avid runner, fisherman,
21world traveler, and White Sox fan; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Laurence Msall was a doting father, a loving
2husband, a true sibling, a generous friend and mentor, and a
3true Chicago civic leader; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Laurence Msall was preceded in death by his
5parents and his brother, Gerard Peter; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Laurence Msall is survived by his wife; his
7daughters, Lucille, Camille, and Matilda; his wife's children,
8Alex (Maria), Samantha (Michael), Tommy, Tess, and Oscar; his
9grandchildren, Valerie, Owen, and Reece Jeffrey; his siblings,
10Michael (Karla), Anita, Karin (Steve) Fischer, Mary (Scott)
11Rogers, Camille, Madeleine (Frank Mauceri), Christianne, and
12Julianne (Christopher) Pegler; his first wife, Mary Jo Smith;
13his many nieces and nephews; and his legion of friends;
14therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17we mourn the passing of Laurence J. Msall and extend our
18sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
19and loved him; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the family of Laurence Msall as an expression of
22our deepest sympathy.