HR0966 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0966 LRB100 21456 MST 38130 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. Arol Augsburger, OD, on the occasion of his retirement as President of the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO), the oldest and largest college of optometry in the country and the largest provider of eye and vision care in Illinois through its teaching clinic, the Illinois Eye Institute; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger began his career with the Illinois College of Optometry in 2002 after serving 30 years in a variety of leadership positions in higher education including as the Interim Provost of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Dean and Professor of the UAB School of Optometry, and Professor of Clinical Optometry at The Ohio State University College of Optometry; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger has led ICO to more than double its investable assets, resulting in $40 million dollars in campus renovation and modernization; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger has been honored by the American Optometric Association as the Distinguished Service Awardee and the National OD of the Year; he has been named Optometrist of the Year in three states; and

WHEREAS, The Ohio State University Optometry Alumni Society named Dr. Augsburger as their 2011 Distinguished Alumnus; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame in June of 2014; he has served as President of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, and the Rotary Club of Chicago, Rotary One, the world's first Rotary Club, and as the Immediate-Past Chairman of the ROTARY/One Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger served on the Special Medical Advisory Group (SMAG) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger served as the 2014-2015 Chairman of the Board of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, on the Near South Planning Board of Chicago, and on the Jackson Park Hospital Foundation Board; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger is a loving husband to wife, Stephanie, a proud father, and grandfather to 11 wonderful children; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Arol Augsburger on his retirement after over 30 years of leadership in optometric education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Augsburger as a symbol of our respect and esteem.