OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL
MAYOR
November 5, 2014
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I transmit herewith, together with Aldermen Zalewski and Mary O'Connor, a congratulatory resolution regarding Rosemarie S. Andolino.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Mayor
Very truly yours,
I
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Members of this Chamber are pleased to congratulate Rosemarie ("Rosie") S. Andolino on the occasion of her retirement as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation and Executive Director of the O'Hare Modernization Program; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of her distinguished 24-year career with the City of Chicago, Ms. Andolino served the City and its residents in a variety of capacities, including the City Council Committee on Transportation, Mayor's Office of Correspondence, Department of Consumer Services, and Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. As First Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development, Ms. Andolino managed a $35 million budget, oversaw $100 million of land acquisition and capital investments in Chicago's Neighborhoods Alive Program and helped secure state and federal funding for numerous city projects; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, Ms. Andolino was named Exective Director of the O'Hare Modernization Program ("OMP"), an $8 billion mega-project dedicated to reconfiguring the airfield at Chicago O'Hare International Airport ("Chicago O'Hare") to create a modern, parallel runway system that reduces airport delays, increases capacity, secures Chicago's aviation future and improves the entire United States aviation system; and
WHEREAS, Under Ms. Andolino's capable leadership, Chicago O'Hare underwent a renaissance. The first new runway in 37 years was built; the airport's busiest runway was extended by 3,000 feet; the first-ever LEED-certified air traffic control tower in the United States was constructed; and Chicago's first "Group VI" capable runway was opened at the airport. Amazingly, all of this was accomplished under Ms. Andolino's guiding hand with no negative impact on airport operations; and
WHEREAS, In 2009, Ms. Andolino was appointed Commissoner of the Chicago Department of Aviation ("CDA"). During her tenure in office, Ms. Andolino skillfully managed Chicago O'Hare and Chicago Midway International Airport ("Chicago Midway"). Together, these two airports comprise one ofthe busiest airport systems in the world; boast 88 million passengers, 1.1 million flights and an operating budget of $1 billion each year; and are supported by a team of 1,200 CDA employees and 45,000 badged airline employees; and
WHEREAS, As Commissioner of Aviation, Ms. Andolino worked tirelessly to enhance the experience of travelers using our airports. Since 2009, Chicago's airports have added more than 40 new air service routes; welcomed 13 new carriers to the Chicago market; increased concession sales, on average, by 7 percent each year; implemented the award-winning Automated Passport Control System, which has made entry into the United States from foreign destinations faster and more efficient and was cited by President Barack Obama as a model for other U.S. airports to follow; redesigned the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint; and added many new amenities at the airports, including 24 additional dining and retail destinations at Chicago O'Hare's Terminal 5, eleven of which are local Chicago brands; and
WHEREAS, Thanks to Ms. Andolino's passion, vision and hard work, Chicago has become a model for airport sustainability. Ms. Andolino oversaw the development in 2009 of the Sustainable Airport Manual; launched the Airports Going Green conference, which is now in its seventh year; worked to create more than 330,000 square feet of green roof space on airport facilities; witnessed the construction of six LEED-certified airport facilities; opened the Nation's first and largest on-site apiary and aeroponic garden in an airport; and hired a herd of grazing animals to manage airport vegetation on airfields at Chicago O'Hare; and
WHEREAS, Since 2003, Ms. Andolino and the CDA, OMP and Chicago O'Hare and Chicago Midway Airports have received numerous awards from organizations within and outside the aviation industry, including the Federal Aviation Administration, United States Green Building Council, United Nations Environmental Programme for Liveable Communities; Civic Federation of Chicago, and many others; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Andolino has been an extraordinary public servant and an excellent role model for women in the field of aviation and in government; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago, assembled this fifth day of November, 2014, do hereby honor Rosemarie ("Rosie") S. Andolino upon the occasion of her retirement, and extend to her our best wishes for good health, happiness, prosperity and continued success; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Rosemarie ("Rosie") S. Andolino as a token of our appreciation and esteem.