RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Lester Crown, a widely renowned business leader and philanthropist, celebrated the joyful occasion of his 90th Birthday on June 7, 2015; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this event by Alderman Edward M. Burke and City Clerk Susana Mendoza; and
WHEREAS, Lester Crown's myriad of contributions to our City have helped to shape Chicago and inspire its people; and
WHEREAS, Lester Crown has been praised by Crain's Chicago Business as "the most civically engaged Chicago business figure of his generation"; and
WHEREAS, Raised in Evanston, Lester Crown is the son of the late Chicago financier Henry Crown, who with his two brothers founded Material Service, a construction industry supply company, in 1919; and
WHEREAS, Lester Crown's introduction to the family business came early when he began working summers in the Material Service quarry; and
WHEREAS, Lester Crown graduated from Evanston Township High School and earned his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University and his master's degree in business administration from Harvard University; and
WHEREAS, After working for Andrews Steel in Newport, Kentucky and Medusa Portland Cement in Cleveland, Lester Crown joined Material Service in 1950; and
WHEREAS, Also in that same year while vacationing in Boca Raton, Florida, Lester Crown first met Renee Schine, the love of his life, at the tennis court; and
WHEREAS, The couple wed in less than a year and were blessed with their four children, Susan, Daniel, Sara and Janet; and
WHEREAS, 1951 the Crowns purchased the Empire State Building and in 1956 Lester Crown was named President of Marblehead Lime and Royal Crown Cola; and
WHEREAS, In 1959 Material Service was purchased by General Dynamics and in 1970 Lester Crown was named President of the company; and
WHEREAS, An individual of unparalleled accomplishment and dedication to the City of Chicago, Lester Crown played an influential role in champi...
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