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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING DAVID A. YESPEN, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE PAUL SIMON PUBLIC POLICY INSTITUTE, FOR HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO CIVIL PUBLIC DISCOURSE AND STUDENTS FROM COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale was founded by Senator Paul Simon upon his retirement from the United States Senate and where Senator Simon served as the first director focusing on ethical conduct in government and opportunity and fair treatment for people in America and throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, more SIU Carbondale students also known as Salukis - are from Cook County than any other county or state in the U.S., and more Saluki alumni reside in Cook County than any other county; and
WHEREAS, David A. Yepsen served as the Paul Simon Public Policy and longest serving director, from 2009 until 2016, where he directed programs and initiatives to encourage and inform public policy discourse in Cook County and throughout the state including public opinion polling cited by this distinguished body - and where he mentored and created opportunities for students interested in public service; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Yepsen came to the Paul Simon Institute after a 34-year career with the Des Moines Register with national notoriety is frequently sought for insights on presidential politics and the Iowa Caucuses; and
WHEREAS, he is a native of Jefferson, Iowa and is a graduate of the University of Iowa and holds a Master’s in Public Administration degree from Drake University, and he was a fellow at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and later he was a fellow at the Institute of Politics at Harvard; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Yespen is currently a Pritzker Fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, serves on the Board of Counselors for the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, on Iowa Public Television; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby honor David A. Yepsen for his remarkable career and service to informed civil discourse and service to students from Cook County and throughout the state; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, this text be spread upon the official proceedings of this Honorable Body and a suitable copy be presented to Mr. David Yepsen and the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.end