RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Dr. Bechara Choucair, M.D., M.S., and Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) since November 25, 2009 has announced his intention to step down from his post in order to pursue a new opportunity as Vice President of Trinity Health; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his career move by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Choucair oversees one of the nation's largest public health care systems serving 2.7 million Chicago residents; and
WHEREAS, Since assuming his duties Dr. Choucair has reshaped the direction ofthe department to meet the significant challenges in public health for the 21st Century; and
WHEREAS, Working closely with the Mayor's office; Dr. Choucair initiated the "Healthy Chicago" program in August 2011, the City's first comprehensive public health agenda providing 200 action items aimed at improving the well-being of all residents; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Choucair has introduced many systems level change initiatives including the introduction of a Mobile Produce Cart and PlayStreets in city neighborhoods to promote healthy lifestyles and combat obesity; and
WHEREAS, Since the inception of Healthy Chicago, the CDPH Has reported historic lows in teen and adult smoking rates and significant reductions in childhood obesity; and
WHEREAS, Under Dr. Choucair's leadership in 2013 the CDPH was the first large city public health agency to win national accreditation; and
WHEREAS, In 2014 The National Association of County and City Health Officials named CDPH the Local Health Department of the Year; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Choucair has served on numerous boards and is Vice Chair for Community Medicine in the Department of Family and Community Medicine ofthe Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University; and
WHEREAS, In his role as Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the Feinberg School of Medicine he advises, inspires and mentors students on public health issues and encourages them to develop local and global community-engaged projects; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Choucair is a 2008 Fellow at the Institute of Medicine in Chicago and is the recipient of many other distinguished awards and honors including the Loretta Lacy Material & Child Health Advocacy award from the Illinois Maternal & Child Health Care Coalition and the Forest Riordan Humanitarian Award; and
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council assembled this twenty-first day of January, 2015, do hereby recognize and thank Dr. Bechara Choucair for his service and distinguished leadership of the Chicago Department of Public Health and wish him continuing success as he begins the next phase of his professional career; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOL VED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Choucair.
Alderman Edward M. Burke Alderman, 14th Ward