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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE YEARS OF SERVICE AND DEDICATION OF AMMAR M. RIZKI
WHEREAS, Ammar M. Rizki proudly served as Chief Financial Officer of Cook County starting in June 2017 overseeing the financial operations of the County that include an $8 billion annual budget, $3 billion debt portfolio and $1.5 billion in federal pandemic relief funds; and
WHEREAS, Ammar previously served as deputy chief financial officer for almost four years. In that role, he worked to ensure that County’s debt and pension obligations grew no more than 2%, ensuring manageable growth without unnecessary burden on County operations; and
WHEREAS, in his time with the County, Ammar helped spearhead dramatic improvements to the county’s finances and pension funding. Under his leadership, Cook County has paid nearly $2 billion above the state’s statutory payment formula, decreased outstanding debt by over $700 million in the last ten years and received the County’s first bond rating upgrade in over a decade; and
WHEREAS, Ammar recently provided financial and operational input on the establishment of the County’s Equity and Inclusion Fund, which is a part of Cook County’s equity-based investments totaling over $100 million. This equity fund aims to create safe, healthy, and thriving communities in Cook County by reimagining and transforming systems around justice, public safety, health, housing, economic opportunity, community development, and social services to benefit Black and Brown communities and proactively invest resources to achieve equitable outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Ammar also helped develop a first-of-its-kind equity model used to award over $51 million of coronavirus relief to local governments. The award-winning program provided relief to local municipalities through an equitable lens, with factors that included, but that were not limited to, immediate needs of the municipality to respond to the pandemic, municipal population, municipal median income and municipal public health statistics; and
WHEREAS, Ammar started his work for Cook County in 2010 as deputy revenue director, where he led initiatives to modernize the Department of Revenue’s operations, improve tax compliance and increase taxpayer education. Prior to that he held a number of managerial and analytic roles in banking and investment management; and
WHEREAS, outside of his County work, Ammar is quick to volunteer his time and is a proud member of the Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 Board of Education; and
WHEREAS, Ammar has always been quick to dispense fashion advice in addition to financial advice and Cook County has benefited from this combination of substance and style; and
WHEREAS, Ammar is leaving the County for the exciting and important opportunity to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Obama Foundation where he will undoubtedly thrive as he guides the foundation’s finances as it creates jobs, drives economic opportunities, empowers the leaders of tomorrow and fosters meaningful change throughout our region; and
WHEREAS, Ammar will surely be missed as he has been an indispensable resource, fountain of fiscal knowledge, mentor to many and thoughtful chief financial officer who has worked tirelessly to improve the County’s financial position; and
WHEREAS, Ammar should be immensely proud of his numerous professional accomplishments, but he would tell you that his most important work is as a father to his son and daughter, and husband to his wife, Sonia; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the Cook County Board of Commissioners, hereby honor and recognize Ammar M. Rizki for his work on behalf of the residents of Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be tendered to Ammar M. Rizki as a means of communicating our appreciation.
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