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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to thank Sam Ma for his work for Chicago's
4Chinatown community and for the State of Illinois; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Sam Ma is the owner of the B.B.Q. King House in
6Chicago; he is also a former President of the Chinatown Chamber
7of Commerce, President of the Chicago Freemason Association and
8Chinatown Square Mall Association, a former Treasurer of the
9Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, and a founder and
10Honorary Chair of the American and Asian Association; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Sam made his mark in Chinatown's business
12community in 1993 through his service with the Chicago
13Chinatown Chamber of Commerce; as Vice President and President
14of the Chamber, he organized the Annual Moon Festival; in 1999,
15he joined Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's Budget Committee,
16where one of his pet projects was to provide funds that could
17help ensure healthy economic growth in Chicago neighborhoods;
18and
 
19    WHEREAS, In addition to Chinatown and the City of Chicago,
20Sam Ma was nationally recognized by the American Red Cross; he
21led a fundraising effort that raised $35,000 for 9/11 victims
22and their families with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent

 

 

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1Association; he led the America Asia Amity Association -
2Chicago Chapter, in raising over $40,000 to aid the families of
3the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia; in 2007, he coordinated with
4U.S. Representative, Danny K. Davis and the Holiday Heroes
5Foundation to raise funds for holiday gifts for Cystic Fibrosis
6and cancer patients at Children's Memorial Hospital; he also
7assisted the Sze Chuan Earthquake Relief Fundraising Committee
8as well as other organizations in raising $380,000 to help
9rebuild the Sze Chuan Province after the May 12, 2008
10earthquake; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Always strongly committed to his neighborhood and
12neighbors, Sam Ma continued his working relationship with Rep.
13Davis and other local leaders, focusing on immigration issues,
14and voter education and registration; in the spring of 2002, he
15coordinated events for Asian American Heritage Month; since the
16summer of 2006, he has organized the Temple Street Market
17Festival, as well as the Chinatown Festival since 2011, to
18promote Asian and Chinese culture in Chicago; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Sam Ma has been the recipient of numerous awards
20and honors for his work in the community, including the
21Distinguished Chinese Community Service Award from the XinLin
22Association in 2004; in 2005, he received a Certificate of
23Outstanding Service from the Filipino American Center for
24Seniors and the Hall of Fame Award in Business from the Asian

 

 

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1American Hall of Fame, U.S.A., and the Outstanding Community
2Service Award by United States Representative Danny Davis in
32007; and
 
4    WHEREAS, In recognition of his longstanding commitment and
5volunteerism, he has been a member on the Asian Advisory
6Council for Secretary of State, Jesse White since 2003, and
7served as Chair in 2013 and 2014; in July of 2009, he was
8appointed by the Central Government of the People's Republic of
9China as the State Council of Overseas Commissioner in Chicago;
10in 2012, he was an elected delegate from the 25th Ward for the
11Democratic National Convention representing Chicago; he was
12also a member of President Obama's Presidential Partners with
13the Democratic National Committee in 2014; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Sam Ma serves as a model of hard work, integrity,
15and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois;
16therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
19thank Sam Ma for his work in Chicago's Chinatown community and
20the State of Illinois and wish him continued success and
21happiness in the future; and be it further
 
22    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be

 

 

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1presented to Sam Ma as a symbol of our esteem and respect.