Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0177
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Full Text of HR0177  100th General Assembly

HR0177 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY


  

 


 
HR0177LRB100 11658 MST 22517 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern recently completed illustrious
3career in the Illinois wine industry, which included thousands
4of hours devoted to serving on the board of the Illinois Grape
5Growers & Vintners Association, and helping to lead the
6association and its members through turbulent times; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern is a native son of Illinois; he
8was born in Du Quoin in 1955 and graduated from Pinckneyville
9High School in 1973 and Rend Lake Community College in 1975
10with an Associate's Degree in Applied Science in Agriculture
11Mechanics; he graduated from Southern Illinois University
12Carbondale in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in plant and soil
13science; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern's passion for making wine
15started around 1985 with a jug in his basement and his friend
16Bill Needham; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern's wine business took root and
18grew splendidly into the Pheasant Hollow Winery, which was
19opened on July 4, 1999, offering six varieties of wine and
20producing about 8,000 gallons of wine a year; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern's passion and talent enabled

 

 

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1Pheasant Hollow to grow into a nationally known winery with
2production of 34,000 gallons a year, employing five people full
3time and another two-dozen part-time; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern's vision shared with other
5grape growers and winemakers in Illinois; it has helped the
6industry grow tenfold over the last 30 years; and
 
7    WHEREAS, As President of the Illinois Grape Growers &
8Vintners Association, Bruce Morgenstern testified numerous
9times in the Illinois General Assembly to encourage State
10support of the industry; he helped develop and advance
11proposals to make grape growing more environmentally
12compatible; he was the driving force behind numerous festivals
13and events which helped bring Illinois wine into the
14marketplace, all the while being a trusted resource for getting
15the most out of the grapes and making the best wine possible;
16and
 
17    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern helped guide the Illinois wine
18industry through the challenging period when the ability of
19wineries to ship directly to consumers or distribute directly
20to retailers was threatened, by coming to the Capitol in
21Springfield to explain the issue to any legislator who would
22stop long enough for him to make his case, all the while
23encouraging others in the industry to make their voices heard;

 

 

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1and
 
2    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern has demonstrated his commitment
3to Illinois beyond the wine industry, as an active member of
4the Perry County Republican Party, including eight years as
5Chairman, as a member of the VESTA board, six years on the
6Man-Tra-Con board, and an incredible 40 years of service to the
7Optimist Club of Pinckneyville; and
 
8    WHEREAS, Bruce Morgenstern is the proud father of Amanda
9and husband to his beloved wife, Mary; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
11HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
12congratulate Bruce Morgenstern on being a champion for Illinois
13wine; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to Bruce Morgenstern and his family as an expression
16of our esteem and respect.