HR0848LRB099 15283 MST 39517 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Ted A. Beattie, Shedd Aquarium President/CEO is
3retiring after more than 2 decades of leadership of one of the
4world's most-respected animal care, conservation, and
5education organizations, bringing to close a 35-year legacy of
6commitment and dedication to the advancement of conservation
7and education for animals and ecosystems; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has made Shedd Aquarium a premier
9cultural and educational institution; his efforts have made
10Shedd Aquarium Chicago's top-attended paid cultural attraction
11for 17 of the last 21 years, welcoming more than 33 million
12guests; the creation of Shedd's Teen Learning Lab, a free,
13collaborative space for teens to develop critical-thinking
14skills while exploring environmental interests, has opened up
15the world of science to thousands of Chicago youth; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has been a transformative, visionary
17leader passionately dedicated to Shedd's mission; through his
18collaborative management style, his strong focus on financial
19stability, and his unwavering commitment to provide
20best-in-class animal care, conservation, and educational
21initiatives, he has made Shedd Aquarium the outstanding
22organization it is today; and
 

 

 

HR0848- 2 -LRB099 15283 MST 39517 r

1    WHEREAS, Since joining Shedd in January 1994 as the third
2President/CEO in the aquarium's history, his many
3accomplishments have included: the development and opening of 6
4permanent exhibits, the second expansion in aquarium history
5with the $47 million addition of Wild Reef in 2003 and the $79
6million re-imagination of Shedd's Abbott Oceanarium marine
7mammal pavilion in 2009 being 2 of the most notable, and 8
8special exhibits, including the newest one, Amphibians, which
9opened this May; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has been an innovative leader who has
11broadened the scope and reach of Shedd Aquarium; his
12achievements include the establishment of the Daniel P.
13Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, which has grown
14to include a portfolio of 18 global field research programs
15that span that world, the addition of Shedd's onsite animal
16hospital and lab facilities within the A. Watson Armour III
17Center for Aquatic Animal Health and Welfare, and a visionary
18Master Energy Road Map designed to cut the aquarium's energy
19consumption in half by 2020; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie served via presidential appointment
21in 2001 to the 16-member U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, where
22he helped craft recommendations on a range of issues, from
23stewardship of marine resources and pollution prevention to
24enhancing and supporting marine science, commerce, and

 

 

HR0848- 3 -LRB099 15283 MST 39517 r

1transportation; the report was presented to President George W.
2Bush and Congress in late summer 2004, establishing the
3prominent role aquariums play in ocean education and Great
4Lakes issues; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has many civic contributions, most
6notably his leadership in the development and transformation of
7the Museum Campus - the 57-acre addition to Grant Park's
8southeastern end, which is the epicenter for cultural
9exploration and natural science discovery along Chicago's
10lakefront; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie served as Director for both the
12Knoxville Zoo and Fort Worth Zoo and as Associate Director for
13the Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo and was the
14first Marketing and Development Director for the Cincinnati Zoo
15and Botanical Garden; he also served as President of the
166,500-member Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), of which
17Shedd is accredited, and successfully chaired its $5 million
18conservation endowment campaign; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie is the recipient of AZA's R. Marlin
20Perkins Award for Professional Excellence - the profession's
21highest award for professional excellence; his national
22leadership has also included 15 years of teaching management
23courses as part of AZA's professional management schools and,

 

 

HR0848- 4 -LRB099 15283 MST 39517 r

1most recently, the creation of AZA's Executive Leadership
2Development Program in 2014 to prepare the next generation of
3executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium
4community for the future; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ted Beattie received an undergraduate degree in
6journalism in 1971 and a master's degree in public relations in
71972 from Ohio State University (OSU); he served as Chairman of
8its Alumni Association's Board of Directors from 2003 to 2005
9in addition to a 5-year term as a member of the board; he also
10served on the Provost's External Advisory Board on Teaching,
11the Advisory Board for the School of Journalism and
12Communication, and the OSU Chicago Major Gifts Committee; he
13received the School of Communications Distinguished Alumni
14Award in 2007 and was also honored with the University's
15Distinguished Service Award - the highest service award given
16by the university; currently, he serves as the Chicago Captain
17and Chairman for the university's $2.5 billion fundraising
18campaign currently underway, "But for Ohio State"; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The next chapter in Ted Beattie's career will
20include his passion for teaching, the advancement of non-profit
21management, and the continued development of the Penny Beattie
22Leadership Fund - a professional development scholarship
23program established in honor of his late wife that provides
24funding support for Shedd and other zoo and aquarium staff

 

 

HR0848- 5 -LRB099 15283 MST 39517 r

1across the nation to participate in leadership growth
2opportunities; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
5congratulate Ted A. Beattie on his retirement as Shedd Aquarium
6President/CEO after over 2 decades of service, and we wish him
7the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further
 
8    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
9presented to Ted Beattie as an expression of our esteem and
10respect.