RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Members ofthis Chamber wish to pay tribute to John Baird, who recently retired from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks after serving that body tirelessly and honorably for nearly 40 years; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Baird graduated with distinction from Wesleyan University in 1938 with a degree in History, then earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from Harvard University in 1940. He then joined his family's venerable real estate company, Baird & Warner, where he served as a member ofthe Board of Directors from 1943 through 1984, as Vice President from 1954 through 1963, as President from 1963 through 1991, and as Chairman of the Board from 1984 through the present day. At the company, Mr. Baird has been a crusader for development projects in blighted neighborhoods and the revitalization ofthe City's Loop and Printing House Row districts; and
WHEREAS, A relentlessly forward-thinking and public-spirited man, Mr. Baird has made significant, wide-ranging contributions to the City. Between 1959 and 1963, he presided over the Board of Governors ofthe Metropolitan Housing and Planning Council, helping advance the cause of civil rights by urging passage of an open-occupancy ordinance; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Baird has served myriad organizations as a director or trustee, including Carson Pirie Scott, Harris Bank, the Chicago Conference on Religion and Race, Chicago Title & Trust, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Wesleyan University, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Trust for Public Land, where he played a leading part in that group's emergence as a strong voice opposing urban sprawl and favoring the use of historic preservation to revive, reuse, and rehabilitate not just individual buildings, but entire neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Baird also summoned the time and energy to become the longest-serving member ofthe Commission on Chicago Landmarks. In his various capacities with the Commission, including Vice-Chair and Secretary, he contributed the invaluable perspective ofa senior real estate professional, combined with the zeal of an historical preservationist. During Mr. Baird's tenure, the Commission conveyed landmark status to well over 5,500 buildings. In 2003, he received the Illinois Association of Historic Preservation Commissions' Individual Preservation Service Award; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago, assembled this seventeenth day of January, 2013, do hereby offer our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to Mr. John Baird for his commitment and service to our City, and bestow upon him the honorary title of Commissioner Emeritus ofthe Commission on Chicago Landmarks; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy ofthis resolution be presented to . John Baird as a token of our appreciation and good wishes.
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
RAHM EMANUEL MAYOR
January 17, 2013
TO THE HONORABLE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO
Ladies and Gentlemen:
1 transmit herewith a congratulatory resolution concerning John Baird.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Very truly yours,
Mayor