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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Rich Clemmons on the
4occasion of his retirement after working on behalf of the
5agriculture and ethanol industries for the past 50 years; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Rich Clemmons has been a tireless advocate for
7farmers, representing their interests in Springfield and
8helping to promote the number one industry in our State; over
9the years, his work on ethanol issues was instrumental in
10helping the industry grow in Illinois and increasing demand
11for corn across the State; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Despite not growing up on a farm in Illinois,
13Rich Clemmons became passionate about agriculture in part
14because of his family's legacy in tobacco production in
15Kentucky; and
 
16    WHEREAS, In 1977, Rich Clemmons was a member of the team
17that supported and passed the Illinois Farmland Assessment
18Act, which allowed agricultural land in Illinois to be taxed
19on its productivity and soil type instead of its price; he also
20played a role in the creation of the Illinois Corn Marketing
21Act, which created the Illinois Corn Checkoff Program; and
 

 

 

HR0514- 2 -LRB103 35437 LAW 65504 r

1    WHEREAS, Rich Clemmons helped secure funding to develop
2the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC) at
3Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, a fully integrated,
4nationally recognized research facility that is dedicated to
5the development and commercialization of biotechnologies and,
6through its contractual research services, has played an
7instrumental role in commercializing more than 80 products
8that are now used in the commercial marketplace; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Over of the course of his professional career,
10Rich Clemmons has always had the loving support of his wife,
11Gretchen, and his children, Sarah, Erin, and Chris; regarding
12his retirement, he has expressed that he is looking forward to
13spending more time with his grandchildren; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
15HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
16we congratulate Rich Clemmons on his retirement, thank him for
17his service to the agriculture and ethanol industries and
18farmers in the State of Illinois for the past 50 years, and
19wish him success in his future endeavors; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to Rich Clemmons as an expression of our esteem and
22respect.