HR1062 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1062 LRB100 21909 MST 39804 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize the accomplishments of Jorge Ramirez, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor and a vice president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO); and

WHEREAS, Jorge Ramirez has served as an officer with the Chicago Federation of Labor since July of 2006 and was elected the CFL's first Latino president in July of 2010; in February of 2015, he was elected to the AFL-CIO Executive Council as a vice president; he is also the Chairman of the Board of Managers for ST Acquisitions Holdings, which purchased the Chicago Sun-Times, the Chicago Reader, straightdope.com, and Answers Media in July of 2017, making him the first Latino chairman of a major media corporation; he is also a board member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Jorge Ramirez earned his first union card in 1988 through the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Local 100A, now Local 1546; he worked his way up, ultimately serving as UFCW Local 1546's executive director before joining the CFL; and

WHEREAS, Jorge Ramirez serves on executive and advisory boards for labor, civic, and community organizations across the city and around the country, which allows him to represent the interests of labor and protect the fundamental rights of all workers; and

WHEREAS, Jorge Ramirez works with the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, the Chicago Sports Commission, Choose Chicago, and Chicago Infrastructure Trust and Navy Pier, Inc. to bring jobs and expand the region's economy by growing and improving the city's manufacturing, infrastructure, tourism, and trade show opportunities; and

WHEREAS, Jorge Ramirez also serves on the boards of the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, the Archdiocese of Chicago Office for Immigrant Affairs, the St. Joseph College Seminary, and other civic and community groups; and

WHEREAS, Jorge Ramirez graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a double major in marketing and computer information systems; he later went on to receive his Juris Doctor from the Chicago-Kent College of Law; he and his wife, Catrina, have four sons; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the accomplishments of Jorge Ramirez, and wish him success in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Jorge Ramirez as a symbol of our respect and esteem.