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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF JOHN MCGUIRE
WHEREAS, John McGuire was born in Chicago in 1942 and grew up on Chicago’s North Side. After attending DePaul Academy, John earned his undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University and Juris Doctor from John Marshall Law School in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, in 1968 John worked as an organizer for Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign. He was later named a staff attorney to the Walker Commission, chaired by Chicago attorney (later Governor) Dan Walker. The Commission issued a report in December 1968 on the causes of the riots surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, following his work for the Walker commission, Pat became an officer in the Independent Voters of Illinois, a non-profit political organization based in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, in 1971 he moved to Washington, D.C. to work as co-director of the Cable TV Information Center, a resource center for municipalities, funded by the Ford Foundation and Urban Institute. The Institute is a Washington-based think tank that carried out economic and social policy research to “open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions;” and
WHEREAS, following his service as a senior aide to Governor Walker, he was appointed in 1976 as director of the Illinois Department of Conservation, later renamed the Illinois Department of Natural Resources; and
WHEREAS, in 1978 President Jimmy Carter appointed John as Midwest Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a job he held until 1981. In that role he was responsible for implementing the policies and managing the programs of the federal EPA in six states - Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois; and
WHEREAS, John was later named Cable Administrator for the city of Chicago by Mayor Jane Byrne. As the city’s so-called “cable czar,” he recommended to the mayor and the city council which cable TV companies should be awarded franchises to operate within Chicago; and
WHEREAS, in 1984 John was named Corporate Attorney for Independent Mechanical Industries, a Chicago-based mechanical contractor that built and maintained central heating and cooling plants, water and waste-water treatment plants, pumping stations, and other institutional, municipal, commercial and industrial facilities. Several years later, he joined the company’s board; and
WHEREAS, John also served for many years as a member of the board of directors of the McGaw YMCA in Evanston; and
WHEREAS, following the death of his son, John led support groups for Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide, a program of Catholic Charities in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, John’s daughter Jessica McGuire followed her father into law and is now with the office of the Cook County State’s Attorney; and
WHEREAS, John is the loving husband of Judy McGuire; proud father of Jessica (Hawke Yoon) and Timothy (deceased 2001); overjoyed Grandpa of Teddy and Wally; and caring brother of Daniel F. McGuire (the late Sharon Rose) and the late Patricia McGuire. John was also a doting uncle to many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners on behalf of the 5.2 million residents of Cook County commemorates the life of John McGuire, and herewith expresses its sincere gratitude for the years of service he gave to the Citizens of Cook County, Illinois; 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 the family of John McGuire.
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