SR0945 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0945 LRB103 40422 LAW 72737 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Paul Stephen Colgan of Oak Park, formerly of Wyoming, Illinois, who passed away on April 15, 2024; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan was born to Joseph Patrick and Majella Catherine (Harty) Colgan in Kewanee on August 1, 1951; he graduated from Wyoming Community High School in 1969; he earned a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government from the University of Notre Dame, where he played tuba in the marching band; he later earned a master's degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield; he married Phyllis Fairchild in Maui, Hawaii on July 7, 1988; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan had a 50-year career in public affairs, first serving as a state government reporter in Springfield; he wrote for the Chicago Daily News and then covered political issues in Illinois and Missouri for the Herald-Whig in Quincy; his expansive knowledge and keen insight on public policy allowed for a successful transition from reporter to the legislative staff of the Illinois General Assembly, where he was instrumental in crafting extensive legislation that served the people of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan worked in professional staff roles on dozens of political campaigns at the local and state levels, ranging from Governor to Mayor of the City of Chicago; he became a consultant and lobbyist, representing the interests of clients in real estate, building code, technology, finance, energy, and agriculture industries at the local, state, and national levels; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan served as the government affairs director for the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, representing the interests of business and commercial consumers during the Illinois electric utility deregulation legislative efforts in the 1990s; as a government affairs consultant to the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago, he worked on rewriting the Chicago Energy Conservation Code and served on the City of Chicago Building Decarbonization Working Group; he also served as a government affairs consultant for the Building Industry Association of Greater Chicago, and he was active on various National Association of Home Builders committees; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan founded EA Americas, LLC, a consulting firm focusing on climate and environment, social, and governance issues for those in real estate; he also assisted with the formation of BONI USA, a technology startup that provided navigation services to the visually impaired community; most recently, he served as a senior strategist with Strategia Consulting in Chicago and led the Clean Energy Coalition, a group recently formed to protect all Illinoisans' consumer rights and the environment; and

WHEREAS, A trusted mentor and generous advisor to others, Paul Colgan was elected by his peers to serve as president of the Chicago Area Public Affairs Group; he was also community-minded from his long-term residency in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton, where he served as a former chairperson of the Arts Commission; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan was an unabashed supporter of the University of Notre Dame and its football team; he enjoyed sharing stories that usually featured his hearty and jovial laugh, and he loved partaking in spirited debates; he was quick to make friends and widely accepting of others from all walks of life; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan was well-regarded professionally for staying true to his word, his ability to reason and analyze situations from multiple angles, and his wise counsel, allowing the industries he served and the colleagues he worked with to thrive; he will be remembered for being a fully engaged, committed, and loving husband, father, and grandfather who was always positive, supportive of any endeavor, and immensely proud of his family; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Patrick J. Colgan and Dr. Philip L Colgan; and

WHEREAS, Paul Colgan is survived by his wife; his daughter, Megan (Kyle) Wiggins; his granddaughters, Zoe Lauren Wiggins and Rae Elizabeth Wiggins; his siblings, Judith (Robert) Curran, Joanne (Gene) Gill, Timothy (Patty) Colgan, Colleen Colgan, Jane (John) Francis, Susan (Ken) Knapp, Martin (Sue) Colgan, Gregory Colgan, and Thomas (Gloria) Colgan; and his many nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Paul Stephen Colgan and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Paul Colgan as an expression of our deepest sympathy.