RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that the members of this Chamber congratulate Dr. Arol Augsburger, OD, on the occasion of his retirement as President of the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO), the oldest and largest college of optometry in the country and the largest provider of eye and vision care in Illinois in its teaching clinic, the Illinois Eye Institute; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger began his career with the Illinois College of Optometry in 2002 and served 30 years in a variety of leadership positions in higher education including as the Interim Provost of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Dean and Professor of the UAB School of Optometry, and Professor of Clinical Optometry at The Ohio State University College of Optometry; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger has led ICO to more than double its investable assets, resulting in $40 million dollars in campus renovation and modernization; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger has been honored by the American Optometric Association as the Distinguished Service Awardee, and the National OD of the Year. He has been named Optometrist of the Year in three states; and
WHEREAS, The Ohio State University Optometry Alumni Society named Dr. Arol Augsburger as their 2011 Distinguished Alumnus; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger was inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame in June of 2014. Dr. Augsburger has served as President of Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, the National Board of Examiners in Optometry, and the Rotary Club of Chicago, Rotary One, the world's first Rotary Club, and as the Immediate-Past Chairman of the ROTARY/One Foundation; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger served on the Special Medical Advisory Group (SMAG) of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger served as the 2014-2015 Chairman of the Board of the Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities, on the Near South Planning Board of Chicago, and the Jackson Park Hospital Foundation Board; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Augsburger is a loving husband to wife Stephanie, proud father, and grandfather to eleven wonderful children;
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the Members of the City Council of the City of Chicago gathered here in assembly this 18th Day of April, 2018 A.D., do hereby extend congratulations to Dr. Arol Augsburger on his retirement from over 30 years of leadership in optometric education; and
Pat Dowell Alderman, 3rd Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Dr. Arol Augsburger as a symbol of our respect and esteem.