HR0573 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0573 LRB095 12629 GRL 37912 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Elroy C. Smith on his 15 years of service to the Chicago radio industry; and

WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith was born and raised on the island of Bermuda; he is the youngest of 6 children born to Ismay and Littenfeld Smith; and

WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith's fascination with radio led him to ZFB in Bermuda, where he was told by the program director that he would never make it because of his inability to read; determined to succeed, he went to New York to attend Announcer's Training School; when he returned home, program director Sergio Dean offered him a part-time job at ZFB as an on-air personality; shortly after, he was admitted to Graham Junior College in Boston, Massachusetts; still illiterate, he taught himself to read by reading an encyclopedia every night; and

WHEREAS, After finishing the two-year program at Graham Junior College, Elroy C. Smith enrolled at Emerson College, where he sought a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications; and

WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith joined WGCI-FM in 1992; since his arrival at WGCI-FM, the station has consistently been a ratings leader in a number of demographics; he made history in 1993 by carrying WGCI-FM to the number one slot in the metropolitan area for three consecutive ratings periods; he has maintained WGCI-FM as one of the biggest radio stations in Chicago from February 1992 to March 2007; on July 5, 2004, he signed on with Bermuda's HOTT 1075 radio station; in August 2006 he was chosen to be Operations Manager of WVON; and

WHEREAS, In November 2000, Elroy C. Smith became program director of the Urban Adult Contemporary station WVAZ-FM; in 2003, WVAZ-FM received the prestigious Marconi Award for Urban Station of the Year from the National Association of Broadcasters; and

WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith has earned many honors and awards during his career; he was named the Billboard Monitor Program Director of the Year and was honored by the Living Legends Foundation; he was a recipient of the Midwest Radio Music Association Icon Award and the Salute to Excellence Award; he was awarded the State of the District Media Award by the United States Congress in 2006; in 2003 he was named the Program Director of the Year at the Radio Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada; and

WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith is a faithful member of the Chicago Church of Christ; and

WHEREAS, Elroy C. Smith and his wife, Vonda, are the proud parents of Colin Spencer and Carson Vaughn Smith; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Elroy C. Smith on his 15 years of service to the Chicago radio industry and wish him continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Elroy C. Smith as a symbol of our esteem and respect.