HR0848 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0848 LRB099 15283 MST 39517 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Ted A. Beattie, Shedd Aquarium President/CEO is retiring after more than 2 decades of leadership of one of the world's most-respected animal care, conservation, and education organizations, bringing to close a 35-year legacy of commitment and dedication to the advancement of conservation and education for animals and ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has made Shedd Aquarium a premier cultural and educational institution; his efforts have made Shedd Aquarium Chicago's top-attended paid cultural attraction for 17 of the last 21 years, welcoming more than 33 million guests; the creation of Shedd's Teen Learning Lab, a free, collaborative space for teens to develop critical-thinking skills while exploring environmental interests, has opened up the world of science to thousands of Chicago youth; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has been a transformative, visionary leader passionately dedicated to Shedd's mission; through his collaborative management style, his strong focus on financial stability, and his unwavering commitment to provide best-in-class animal care, conservation, and educational initiatives, he has made Shedd Aquarium the outstanding organization it is today; and

WHEREAS, Since joining Shedd in January 1994 as the third President/CEO in the aquarium's history, his many accomplishments have included: the development and opening of 6 permanent exhibits, the second expansion in aquarium history with the $47 million addition of Wild Reef in 2003 and the $79 million re-imagination of Shedd's Abbott Oceanarium marine mammal pavilion in 2009 being 2 of the most notable, and 8 special exhibits, including the newest one, Amphibians, which opened this May; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has been an innovative leader who has broadened the scope and reach of Shedd Aquarium; his achievements include the establishment of the Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, which has grown to include a portfolio of 18 global field research programs that span that world, the addition of Shedd's onsite animal hospital and lab facilities within the A. Watson Armour III Center for Aquatic Animal Health and Welfare, and a visionary Master Energy Road Map designed to cut the aquarium's energy consumption in half by 2020; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie served via presidential appointment in 2001 to the 16-member U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, where he helped craft recommendations on a range of issues, from stewardship of marine resources and pollution prevention to enhancing and supporting marine science, commerce, and transportation; the report was presented to President George W. Bush and Congress in late summer 2004, establishing the prominent role aquariums play in ocean education and Great Lakes issues; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie has many civic contributions, most notably his leadership in the development and transformation of the Museum Campus - the 57-acre addition to Grant Park's southeastern end, which is the epicenter for cultural exploration and natural science discovery along Chicago's lakefront; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie served as Director for both the Knoxville Zoo and Fort Worth Zoo and as Associate Director for the Chicago Zoological Society's Brookfield Zoo and was the first Marketing and Development Director for the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden; he also served as President of the 6,500-member Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), of which Shedd is accredited, and successfully chaired its $5 million conservation endowment campaign; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie is the recipient of AZA's R. Marlin Perkins Award for Professional Excellence - the profession's highest award for professional excellence; his national leadership has also included 15 years of teaching management courses as part of AZA's professional management schools and, most recently, the creation of AZA's Executive Leadership Development Program in 2014 to prepare the next generation of executive leaders to successfully advance the zoo and aquarium community for the future; and

WHEREAS, Ted Beattie received an undergraduate degree in journalism in 1971 and a master's degree in public relations in 1972 from Ohio State University (OSU); he served as Chairman of its Alumni Association's Board of Directors from 2003 to 2005 in addition to a 5-year term as a member of the board; he also served on the Provost's External Advisory Board on Teaching, the Advisory Board for the School of Journalism and Communication, and the OSU Chicago Major Gifts Committee; he received the School of Communications Distinguished Alumni Award in 2007 and was also honored with the University's Distinguished Service Award - the highest service award given by the university; currently, he serves as the Chicago Captain and Chairman for the university's $2.5 billion fundraising campaign currently underway, "But for Ohio State"; and

WHEREAS, The next chapter in Ted Beattie's career will include his passion for teaching, the advancement of non-profit management, and the continued development of the Penny Beattie Leadership Fund - a professional development scholarship program established in honor of his late wife that provides funding support for Shedd and other zoo and aquarium staff across the nation to participate in leadership growth opportunities; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Ted A. Beattie on his retirement as Shedd Aquarium President/CEO after over 2 decades of service, and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ted Beattie as an expression of our esteem and respect.