HR1072 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1072 LRB093 22610 HSS 52204 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois learned with deep regret of the untimely death of Launa T. Thompson on Sunday, June 20, 2004; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Thompson was a native of Detroit; she earned a bachelor's degree in sociology and vocational rehabilitation from Wilberforce University in Ohio and a master's degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Cincinnati; after several years as a social worker, she began her career in sales for Dun & Bradstreet in Glen Ellyn; in 1980, she moved to WVON/WGCI Radio, where she quickly established herself as a broadcast professional by maintaining budgets, showing a strong billing performance, and creatively generating retail and agency accounts; and

WHEREAS, In 1985, she left the station and worked briefly as a newspaper marketing manager for Gannett Corporation before becoming a local sales manager for WBBM-FM; a year later, she and her husband, Abe, a broadcaster, moved to work as a team for WRIF in Southfield, Michigan; when that station was sold, she returned to WBBM-FM as national sales manager; she also worked as local sales manager for WFYR and senior account manager with Black Entertainment Television; she returned to WGCI in 1994 as national account manager and became general sales manager in 1996; and

WHEREAS, In eight years, Mrs. Thompson and her staff generated more than $200 million in sales revenue; her unique ability to lead an aggressive professional sales staff earned WGCI-AM/FM the distinction of being the number one billing radio station in Chicago for advertising sales revenue in 1999 and the number one billing urban station in the nation; last November, she was named manager of three Clear Channel Chicago stations, WGCI-AM (now WGRB), WGCI-FM, and WVAZ-FM; and

WHEREAS, The Chicago Sun-Times named her one of the ten most powerful women in Chicago media; the trade publication Radio Ink named her one of the most influential African Americans in radio; she received the Kizzy Image and Achievement Award from the Black Women's Hall of Fame Foundation and honors from Radio & Records and the Broadcast Advertising Club of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, She led numerous community outreach efforts, providing hundreds of hours of volunteer work; she served on a number of boards, including the Wilberforce Alumni Association, the League of Black Women, Black Ensemble Theatre, American Women in Radio and Television, Friends of LaRabida Hospital, Midwest Women's Center and ETA; she was an active member of Apostolic Church of God; and

WHEREAS, Mrs. Thompson is remembered as an easygoing boss who inspired loyalty; she was an accomplished public speaker and she served as a mentor for individuals aspiring to enter the broadcast sales profession; and

WHEREAS, Her passing has been deeply felt by many, especially her husband, the noted author and broadcaster, Abe Thompson; her mother, Daisy Gaines; and her son, Phoenix Gaines; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Launa T. Thompson, and we extend our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Launa T. Thompson as an expression of our sincerest condolences.