HR0914 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0914 LRB103 42427 ECR 75657 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Jeff Fougerousse on the occasion of his retirement from the Vernon Hills Park District; and

WHEREAS, Jeff Fougerousse has dedicated over 40 years of his life to Illinois parks and recreation, serving most recently as executive director of the Vernon Hills Park District since 2009; prior to that, he served as executive director of the Morton Grove Park District from 2000 to 2009 and as superintendent of Recreation & Facilities from 1987 to 2000; and

WHEREAS, During his 15-year tenure as executive director, Jeff Fougerousse exponentially grew the revenue of the Vernon Hills Park District by obtaining Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD), Park and Recreational Facilities Construction (PARC), and Capital grants; under his leadership, the Vernon Hills Park District has been recognized as an Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) Distinguished Agency since 2006 and has expanded to include the Lakeview Fitness Center, the splash pad to the Turtle Creek Waterpark, a new park maintenance facility, a new skate park, and other features; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his parks and recreation career, Jeff Fougerousse has built valuable and collaborative relationships with local, county, state, and federal elected officials, initiated collaborations for local officials to meet regularly to identify needs within the community, and increased the number of successful intergovernmental agreements; and

WHEREAS, Jeff Fougerousse has belonged to a number of professional organizations; he has been a member of the IPRA since 1981, serving as a past chairman of the board in 1999 and again in 2019 and on the IPRA Joint Conference Committee from 1994 to 1999, serving as chairman in 1999; in addition, he has authored several articles for the IPRA magazine; he has previously served as chairman of the Chicagoland Park Directors' Association in 2001; he has also been a member of the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) since 1986 and on the board of directors of the Maine Niles Association of Special Recreation since 2000; and

WHEREAS, Jeff Fougerousse has worked tirelessly to advance the parks and recreation industry while participating in a variety of organizations, including his local YMCA, the Mundelein & Vernon Hills Rotary Club, the Lions Club, the Special Recreation District, the American Youth Soccer Organization, the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, the National Community Solutions Association for Homeless Individuals, and the American Brain Tumor Association; and

WHEREAS, Jeff Fougerousse has been awarded numerous honors, including receiving the NRPA Gold Medal in 2021 and being named the IAPD Honored Professional of the Year in 2022; and

WHEREAS, Jeff Fougerousse, a certified park and recreation professional, possesses a Master of Business Administration from Aurora University and a Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University; and

WHEREAS, Jeff Fougerousse and his wife are current residents of Arlington Heights; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Jeff Fougerousse on his retirement from the Vernon Hills Park District, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented Jeff Fougerousse as a symbol of our esteem and respect.