SR2106LRB100 23924 MST 42997 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Philip R. O'Connor Ph.D. of Chicago, who
4passed away on September 26, 2018; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Dr. O'Connor was born to Philip J. and Irene
6(Peters) O'Connor in Vallejo, California on September 16, 1948;
7he graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University of Chicago
8and received his master's and doctorate in political science
9from Northwestern University; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Dr. O'Connor had an extensive consulting career,
11most recently serving as the president of PROactive Strategies;
12he was a nationally-recognized expert on the development and
13implementation of competitive strategies in the insurance and
14utilities industries; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Dr. O'Connor served on numerous boards and
16charities; he served as a member of the board of the Big
17Shoulders Foundation for the schools of the Archdiocese of
18Chicago, Haymarket Center, Misericordia, and was the founding
19member of the alumni board of the Loyola University John Felice
20Rome Center; he served as an independent director of Delphi
21Financial Group Inc. and the Reliance Standard Life Insurance
22Company; and
 

 

 

SR2106- 2 -LRB100 23924 MST 42997 r

1    WHEREAS, Dr. O'Connor had extensive government and
2political experience; he was appointed to various boards and
3commissions by five governors over four decades; he was
4director of the Illinois Department of Insurance from 1979 to
51982, chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission from 1983 to
61985, and a member of the Illinois State Board of Elections
7from 1998 to 2004; he served as an advisor to countless
8governors and politicians, most notably running the successful
9campaigns for governor of Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Dr. O'Connor volunteered to serve at the U.S.
11Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq from 2007 to 2008, working with the
12U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. State Department as
13an advisor to the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Dr. O'Connor was preceded in death by his parents;
15and
 
16    WHEREAS, Dr. O'Connor is survived by his wife, Lynn
17Carlson; his stepchildren, Jeffrey, Greg, and Melissa (Ian)
18Carlson (Riddle); his grandchildren, Olivia and Isabella; his
19sisters, Kathy and Marilyn O'Connor; his niece and nephew,
20Emily (Alex) Watson and Ryan (Martine) Gordon; and his
21great-niece, Sona; therefore, be it
 

 

 

SR2106- 3 -LRB100 23924 MST 42997 r

1    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL
2ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
3Philip R. O'Connor Ph.D. and extend our sincere condolences to
4his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
5further
 
6    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Dr. O'Connor as an expression of our
8deepest sympathy.