SR0504 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0504 LRB095 15989 KXB 42001 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Edward A. Brennan of Burr Ridge, who passed away December 27, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Edward Brennan was born January 16, 1934 in Chicago; Mr. Brennan retired from Sears, Roebuck and Company, as chairman and chief executive officer on August 9, 1995, after a 39-year career; he started with Sears after his graduation from Marquette University in 1956, selling men's furnishings in Madison, Wisconsin, and rose through the ranks to become Sears' eleventh chairman; and

WHEREAS, He was elected chairman and chief executive officer of the company's retail group in 1981; he helped in the acquisition of Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. and Coldwell Banker and Company; he became the chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the Sears Corporation in 1986, the same year that Sears launched the Discover Card; and

WHEREAS, He served on the boards of Exelon Corporation and McDonald's Corporation; in previous years, he served on the boards of Allstate, 3M, Morgan Stanley, Dean Foods, and AMR, the parent company of American Airlines, where he served as executive chairman from April 2003 to May 2004; Mr. Brennan previously served as chairman of the Board of Trustees at DePaul University and Marquette University, and was president of the United Way of America; and

WHEREAS, He was the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and a member of the United States Naval Academy Foundation Board; and

WHEREAS, Edward Brennan was recognized for a lifetime of philanthropy and civic leadership and a lifelong commitment to public service and higher education in Chicago, as evidenced by his 20 years of service as a DePaul trustee; he founded the University's Corporate and Foundation Gifts Committee and also helped to arrange numerous gifts to the university, funding both scholarships and facilities; he also found time to serve many other educational, Catholic, and not-for-profit organizations; even in retirement, he still chaired the board at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center; and

WHEREAS, Edward Brennan is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lois L. (nee Lyon); his children, Edward J. (Deborah S.) Brennan, Cindy B. (John) Walls, Sharon B. Lisnow, Donald A. (Kimberly M.) Brennan, John L. (Jean M.) Brennan, and Linda B. (Joel) Thode; his siblings, Bernard (Tammy) Brennan, David (Mary) Brennan, Margaret Bourget, Melissa Brennan, and Joan Ely; and 19 grandchildren; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family and friends, the passing of Edward A. Brennan; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Edward A. Brennan as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.