HR0312 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0312 LRB103 32604 LAW 62226 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Martin "Marty" Matthews on his retirement from full-time employment as Director of Government Affairs with Merck & Company, Inc. and to commend him for his unwavering commitment to improving the health of residents of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews is a native of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he attended Schenley High School; he earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology, Chemistry, and Psychology from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, In 1989, Martin Matthews commenced his professional career with Merck & Company, Inc. as a professional sales representative, focusing on cardiovascular, osteoarthritis, Parkinson's, and ophthalmic diseases and pharmaceuticals to treat and manage the health of the afflicted; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews was subsequently promoted to serve as Merck & Company's national coordinator for health education from 1991 to 1992, where he managed a $23 million dollar health education budget for cardiovascular marketing teams; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews then transitioned to a new role in 1992 as sales training manager for new representatives in the Ohio and Seattle regions, serving an even greater responsibility within Merck & Company; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews assumed the key position of Director of Government Affairs for Merck & Company in 1993, becoming responsible for all legislative and regulatory issues affecting the company in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and South Dakota; and

WHEREAS, From 1993 to 2023, Martin Matthews was a member of the Illinois PhRMA Task Force, sharing his insights with association members and leadership on Medicaid, Medicare, and health care reform legislation being considered for enactment by the Illinois General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews also served on several professional bodies, including the Illinois Chamber Health Care Council, the Illinois Hepatitis C Task Force, the Illinois Diabetes Policy Coalition as legislative chairman, and the Illinois Diabetes Caucus Foundation Board; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews developed an expertise on a multitude of key Merck & Company policy issues, from varicella and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to diabetes drug access; and

WHEREAS, During his service as Director of Government Affairs for Merck & Company, Martin Matthews has received numerous professional corporate recognitions, including the Masters Club Distinguished Service Award in 1998, the Vice President's Distinguished Service Award in 2002, the Merck Special Achievement Award in both 2001 and 2002, the Merck Masters Club Award in 2008, 2011, and 2013, and installation in the Hall of Fame, as well as numerous Awards of Excellence from Merck Sales, the Vaccine Division, and the Merck Schering Plough Joint Venture; and

WHEREAS, Throughout his tenure, Martin Matthews has worked in a bipartisan manner to advocate for the passage of over 200 pieces of legislation designed to improve healthcare and access to affordable drugs and vaccines for Illinoisans; his greatest legislative accomplishment occurred in 2002, when he provided testimony and guidance to Illinois lawmakers and the State Board of Public Health on treatment options for the eradication of chicken pox, also known as the varicella-zoster virus, among Illinois school children, leading to the implementation of a groundbreaking law; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews is the longest tenured Director of Government Affairs for Merck & Company in Illinois history, with a career spanning 30-plus years of service; and

WHEREAS, Martin Matthews is the husband of Timoli, the son of Lela Matthews, and the father of Aja, Lela, and Mariah; and

WHEREAS, In retirement, Martin Matthews looks forward to spending more time with his family and to perfecting his golf game and grilling skills with friends and colleagues; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Martin "Marty" Matthews on his retirement from full-time employment as Director of Government Relations at Merck & Company, and we commend him on his many years of service on behalf of patients in the State of Illinois and beyond; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented Martin Matthews as a symbol of our esteem and respect.