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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CONGRATULATING JENNIFER “SIS” KILLEN ON WINNING THE WOMEN’S TRANSPORTATION SEMINAR INTERNATIONAL’S “WOMAN OF THE YEAR” AWARD
WHEREAS, Jennifer “Sis” Killen is the 2019 Woman of the Year for the Women’s Transportation Seminar (“WTS”); and
WHEREAS, Sis is the first female Assistant Superintendent of the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (“DOTH”), a position she has held for seven years; and
WHEREAS, WTS International was founded in 1977 by a group of pioneering women in transportation who realized that women’s careers would benefit from professional development, encouragement and recognition to support their advancement in transportation professions. Now, after more than 40 years of growth and development, WTS is an international organization with more than 6500 members (including women and men) and 79 chapters; and
WHEREAS, the WTS Woman of the Year is recognized as a leader in transportation who has made an outstanding contribution to the transportation industry; who has directly contributed toward the advancement of women and minorities through programs or opportunities in the transportation field; and who has advanced the reputation and credibility of women in transportation; and
WHEREAS, Sis was recognized for driving the change and transformation at the DOTH which was largely been the result of Sis’ private sector experience and her true gift of leadership that has allowed the Department to be more innovative, collaborative, transparent and accountable to the Transportation Industry; and
WHEREAS, Sis was the project leader that pulled together the Advisory and Program Committees that worked for three years to come up with Cook County’s first innovative Long-Range Transportation Plan in 70 years; and
WHEREAS, following the successful creation of the plan, Sis brought relationships she formed in the private sector to the table to collaborate on regional projects like the Elgin-O’Hare, Jane Addams Tollway, the IL-53 Tri-County Project along with negotiating and collaborating for DOTH to become a full Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Partner; and
WHEREAS, Sis instituted the transparent project selection and scoring criteria for DOTH’s Invest in Cook Grant Program that has brought community and economic growth to this region; and
WHEREAS, Sis Killen was appointed Chairwoman of the DBE Focus Group of the Innovation in Construction, Asphalt and Transportation (ICAT) where she has been able to bring seasoned Architecture and Engineering Firms to the table to help and mentor new Women Owned and Minority Owned Businesses by having all the larger government clients work together in this region; and
WHEREAS, Sis has been Chairwoman of Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s Transportation Committee, served on the CREATE’s Management Committee, participated in the WTS Leadership Training, is a fellow with the University of Chicago Civic Leadership Academy and numerous regional project stakeholder Committees; and
WHEREAS, previous winners of the WTS Woman of the Year award include United States Senator Tammy Duckworth and Illinois State Representative Julie Hamos; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and Members of the Board of Commissioners, on behalf of the 5.2 million residents and over 22,000 employees of Cook County, congratulates Jennifer “Sis” Killen on being named the 2019 WTS Woman of the Year; 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 Jennifer “Sis” Killen.
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