HR1267 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1267 LRB095 20278 GRL 50177 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It has come to the attention of the members of the Illinois House of Representatives that Peter England, Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Children's Museum, will retire on April 30, 2008; and

WHEREAS, A New Zealand native, he has over thirty-six years of professional experience in the private sector; thirty-three of those years were spent at Unilever, a global consumer conglomerate in which he served a number of senior management and chief executive positions including president and CEO of Elizabeth Arden; he began his career there in brand management and marketing; and

WHEREAS, He helped three companies within Unilever move from unprofitable business positions to stabilized or dramatically improved financial situations; he left Unilever in January of 2000, after declining an offer to serve as Chairman of the company; and

WHEREAS, He has served as a board member of the NorthCare Foundation, which is a medical education and research foundation in Australia; and

WHEREAS, Mr. England relocated to the Chicago area in June 2001 to be closer to his children and take over the helm of the Chicago Children's Museum, where he serves as Chief Executive Officer; and

WHEREAS, Mr. England's extraordinary vision and leadership has had a profound impact upon the Chicago Children's Museum during his tenure; and

WHEREAS, He currently serves as a board member for i.c. stars and Illinois Action for Children; and

WHEREAS, His quirky wit, honesty, commitment, and passion have served the museum well for seven years; and

WHEREAS, He seems to be a brand ambassador for both Starbucks coffee and BlackBerrys, much to the chagrin of his staff; and

WHEREAS, He has been an excellent Chief Executive Officer, a loyal friend, and a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather to three (soon to be four) grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Peter England on his retirement and wish him continued success in his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Peter England as a symbol of our respect.