RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Following twenty-five years of faithful service, Christopher G. Kennedy has announced that he will step down as President of Merchandise Mart Properties, Incorporated; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this event by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, In order to achieve an orderly transition of responsibilities, Christopher G. Kennedy will act as a consultant to the Merchandise Mart through March of 2012; and
WHEREAS, Christopher G. Kennedy leaves the Merchandise Mart in order to pursue exciting new opportunities in the area of economic and entrepreneurial business development; and
WHEREAS, Christopher G. Kennedy was named President of MMPI in October 2000 and began his career with MMPI as a research analyst in 1987; and
WHEREAS, In 1988, Christopher G. Kennedy was promoted to serve as Director of the Architectural Products Division of The Merchandise Mart and earned promotions to Vice President in 1991 and Executive Vice President in 1994; and
WHEREAS, Christopher G. Kennedy is the son of Robert and Ethel Kennedy and is the eighth of their eleven children; and
WHEREAS, Christopher G. Kennedy earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Boston College in 1986 and a master's of management from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University in 1994; and
WHEREAS, Christopher G. Kennedy will continue to act as Chairman for the University of Illinois' Board of Trustees, and will remain on the boards of the Ariel Investment Trust and the Interface Floor Covering Company; and
WHEREAS, Christopher G. Kennedy will also remain active with civic and charitable organizations, including the Catholic Theological Union, the Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness, and the Chicago Community Trust; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council assembled this sixth day of July, 2011, do hereby express our gratitude to Christopher G. Kennedy for his twenty-five years of leadership and do hereby wish him well in all of his future endeavors; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, T/at a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Christopher G. Kennedy. _