HR0788 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0788 LRB099 14471 MST 38591 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The London Towne Houses Cooperative recently renamed Community Building #2 at 901 East 100th Place as the "Ida Curtis Fisher Community Building"; and

WHEREAS, Ida Fisher passed away on February 11, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Ida Fisher was an African-American woman, born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1931; she grew up in a time when society repressed both women and African-Americans; she strongly valued education and work, becoming the first woman to pass the Cincinnati police officer exam; and

WHEREAS, Ida Fisher worked as a secretary for the Foundation for Cooperative Housing; she eventually began managing the Kansas City, Missouri location and, due to her accomplishments there, was soon asked to travel the country to duplicate her success; she created thousands of cooperative housing units, eventually landing in Chicago, where she broke ground for the 800-unit London Towne Houses Cooperative; and

WHEREAS, Ida Fisher worked as a Vice-President of the First Pennsylvania Bank, where she opened and managed its subsidiary in Chicago, Midwest Mortgage Company, and became the bank's top money maker in the country; she was inspired to open her own company, ICF Development; she was also the director of the National Cooperative Bank, the Independence Bank of Chicago, Indecorp (Independence and the Drexel National Bank), the National Association of Housing Cooperatives, the Midwest Association of Housing Cooperatives, Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Joseph Holmes Dance Group; and

WHEREAS, Ida Fisher was the recipient of the Chicago Rising Women in Business award, the Most Success Business Women in Chicago award, and the coveted Jerry Voorhis Award from the National Association of Housing Cooperatives; and

WHEREAS, Ida Fisher was the wife of Herbert Fisher and the mother of 2 daughters; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the extraordinary life of Ida Curtis Fisher and support the London Towne Houses Cooperative's decision to name a building in her honor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the London Towne Houses Cooperative and the family of Ida Fisher.