HR0708 LRB094 14854 AJO 49855 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Gordon A. Taylor Jr., the Western Illinois
3 University Associate Vice President for Alumni Programs will
4 retire, after 35 years of service, on January 31, 2006; and
 
5     WHEREAS, He received a bachelor's degree in management from
6 Western Illinois University in 1968; at the University of
7 Florida in 1970, he earned his Master's Degree in Business
8 Administration; in 1980, the University of Florida conferred
9 upon Gordon A. Taylor, Jr. the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
10 in Management; and
 
11     WHEREAS, In 1970, Taylor returned to Western as an
12 assistant professor in the Management Department where he
13 taught until 1978, when he was appointed the Director of Alumni
14 Programs; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Under Dr. Taylor's leadership, the Western
16 Illinois University Alumni Association substantially expanded
17 its program beyond traditional social events to a comprehensive
18 set of alumni services including: career counseling; life and
19 medical insurance with low group rates; the WIU affinity credit
20 card; the Alumni Travel Abroad program; University library
21 access; the student loan consolidation program; an online
22 alumni directory; an alumni newspaper; alumni awards; and a
23 full array of homecoming activities, class reunions, and social
24 events in Macomb and throughout the United States; and
 
25     WHEREAS, The Alumni Association includes all 95,000 WIU
26 graduates; and
 
27     WHEREAS, The Council for Achievement and Support of
28 Education recognized Gordon and the WIU Alumni Association with
29 several awards including the 1994 Grand Gold Award for Overall
30 Alumni Program; and
 

 

 

HR0708 - 2 - LRB094 14854 AJO 49855 r

1     WHEREAS, Dr. Taylor's contributions have reached beyond
2 the campus; he is the co-author of the book, "How to Set up an
3 Alumni Relations Program"; he served on the Governor's Small
4 Business Advisory Council from 1986-1992 and is currently on
5 the Board of Savings Institutions in the Illinois Department of
6 Financial and Professional Regulation; and
 
7     WHEREAS, University President Al Goldfarb noted that,
8 "Gordy has been the vital link for alumni and friends of
9 Western throughout the country. His unique style bridges the
10 gap between all generations of Western alumni"; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The University bestowed upon Dr. Taylor the
12 Western Illinois University Administrative Service Award for
13 his contributions to the University and his profession; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Demonstrating that his Western ties will not be
15 severed easily, Gordy will return part-time as the Director of
16 Special Projects for the University's next capital campaign;
17 therefore, be it
 
18     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
19 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
20 we thank Dr. Gordon A. Taylor for his years of public service
21 at Western Illinois University and the Western Alumni
22 Association and wish him all the best in his future endeavors;
23 and be it further
 
24     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
25 presented to Dr. Gordon A. Taylor, Jr. as an expression of our
26 esteem.