HR0726 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0726 LRB102 26660 LAW 37453 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize Ray Drake on the occasion of his retirement as vice president of State Government Affairs for the United Parcel Service; and

WHEREAS, Ray Drake was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey; a Yankees baseball fan since his youth, he developed an early interest in politics; he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The College of New Jersey, during which time he began his career with the United Parcel Service (UPS) as a package handler in 1976; upon graduation, he joined the management team in the Industrial Engineering Department at UPS, serving in various assignments at both state and regional levels; and

WHEREAS, Ray Drake spent 35 years in Engineering and Operations at UPS, 33 of which were in management, before transitioning to Government Affairs; he is retiring as vice president of State Government Affairs on March 31, 2022, where he has been responsible for 21 Midwestern and Northern states, including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin; he has served in this capacity for the last 11 years; and

WHEREAS, Ray Drake, as a transportation advocate, has made a number of notable accomplishments in and around the General Assembly; he developed and helped secure funding for UPS's Chicagoland Regional College Program, a successful ongoing public-private partnership program that was recognized by the Obama White House for UPS's ability to employ thousands of student workers while assisting them in obtaining college degrees; he aided in passing legislation designed to create parity in the tax rates that are paid on differing types of fuels when used in motor vehicles (Public Act 100-0009); he assisted in the passing of a bill that granted licensing to third-party logistics providers, or what are commonly called 3PLs (Public Act 101-0420); and

WHEREAS, Ray Drake, when not fulfilling his UPS obligations, has served and continues to serve in various civic capacities; he was the past chairman of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, where he also served as its vice chairman and secretary; he is the current chairman of the Illinois Chamber Foundation Board and serves on the Chicagoland Chamber's Board of Directors and its Public Policy Committee; he serves on The Civic Federation's Board of Directors; he also serves on the IDOT-established Illinois State Freight Advisory Council, and he was the past chair of the Executive Steering Committee for the group; his expansive breadth of knowledge on transportation issues is welcomed and sought-after as a board member of trucking associations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, as well as with several legislative committees of other state chambers; and

WHEREAS, Ray Drake, as a resident of St. Charles, gives back to his community as a board member of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) of Kane County, an organization that advocates for the best interests of children in abuse and neglect cases within the Juvenile Justice System; and

WHEREAS, Ray Drake is married to Mary Beth, and they have three adult children; and

WHEREAS, Ray Drake serves as a role model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; his absence will not only be felt at UPS but also by all those outside of UPS and the General Assembly who have had the opportunity to work alongside him; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize Ray Drake on his retirement as vice president of UPS State Government Affairs, and we commend him for his 46 years of service to UPS; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we wish Ray Drake and his family the very best in a long and happy retirement; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ray Drake as an expression of our esteem and respect.