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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING THE 90TH BIRTHDAY OF WILLIAM COWHEY
WHEREAS, treasured public servant and businessman William “Bill” Cowhey is turning 90 years old; and
WHEREAS, Bill’s public service began when he joined the United States Navy in 1944 to defend our country and served honorably on the carrier USS Belleau Wood CVL 24. For these efforts, his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation; and
WHEREAS as a former President of the Civic Federation, Bill worked to reform the many local governments of Cook County, including the City of Chicago, Cook county, Chicago Board of Education, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, the Chicago Park District, the Regional Transportation Authority, Metra and the Chicago Transit Authority; and
WHEREAS, in his distinguished career as a Legal Consultant for the Office of the Cook County Assessor, Bill worked to lower taxes for Cook county residents by suggesting ways to improve the fiscal condition of local taxing entities; and
WHEREAS, Bill worked as the Assistant Executive Director to the Economic Development Commission of Chicago, where he formulated policies to encourage business and industry to locate or expand within the City; and
WHEREAS, Bill has worked to improve the quality of health care for Chicago’s citizens by his active leadership on the Health and Medicine Policy Group, Illinois Primary Health Care Association Committee on Ambulatory Care Linkage Project and the Metropolitan Chicago Health Care Council; and
WHEREAS, Bill has spent more than 40 years as a volunteer working to better the lives of individuals with addiction problems and those whose lives they affect, including serving as a member of the Chicago Board of Hazelden, now Hazelden Betty Ford. Since 2014, Bill has served as the Regional Outreach Director for The Retreat, a not-for-profit organization committed to creating affordable, accessible, and effective recovery services to help alcohol and drug dependent individuals recover; and
WHEREAS, Bills’ selflessness knows no bounds, as he donated a kidney to his daughter in 1986; and
WHEREAS, he has been a good neighbor to those in the North Lawndale area through his participation in the Old St. Pat’s Kinship Group; and
WHEREAS, Bill’s business career included serving as Vice President for the Rubloff Development Corporation and owing a membership interest on the Chicago Board of Trade (now CME); and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the 5.2 million people of Cook County, does hereby wish William Cowhey a very happy 90th Birthday; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that April 2nd 2016 when Bill’s friends gather to celebrate with him, is hereby declared “William Cowhey Day” in Cook County, Illinois and the citizens of Cook County wish him another 90 years of helping our citizenry; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and that an official copy of the same be tendered to William Cowhey as a token of this Honorable Body’s appreciation.
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