RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch, has announced his intention to step down as Deputy Mayor of Chicago in August, 2017, after five years of dedicated service; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago City Council has been informed of his decision by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch received his B.A. from Hampshire College, his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and his J.D., cum laude, from the University of Chicago Law School; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch was a Henry Luce Scholar, and served as a law clerk to the Honorable Richard Cudahy of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch joined First Boston in 1985, having previously worked at Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch spent twenty-seven years of his career with Credit Suisse as an investment banker; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch served in a number of senior leadership roles, and as Vice Chairman of Credit Suisse Global Mergers and Acquisitions; and
WHEREAS, during his distinguished career with Credit Suisse, the Honorable Steven Koch advised on many notable transactions spanning a broad range of industries that together comprised more than one-trillion dollars; and
WHEREAS, among the deals the Honorable Steven Koch advised on were Fortune Brands' spin-off of Beam Brands, the Aon Corporation's takeover of Hewitt and Nestle's takeovers of Ralston Purina and Gerber; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch helped develop (and taught) in the Director's Consortium, a seminar sponsored by Dartmouth University, the University of Chicago and Stanford Business Schools that trains corporate directors; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch served as a Presidential appointee to the Independent Advisory Panel of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board; and
WHEREAS, on August 12, 2012, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the appointment of the Honorable Steven Koch as Deputy Mayor of Chicago, succeeding the Honorable Mark Angelson; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch officially assumed his duties on September 4, 2012; and
WHEREAS, over the next five years the Honorable Steven Koch helped stabilize City of Chicago finances by reducing large deficits through a payment plan, and by restructuring the city's four pension funds to meet its obligations; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure as Deputy Mayor, various corporate entities relocated their headquarters offices to Chicago, elevating the status of the Windy City as a global destination point for business and commerce; and
WHEREAS, the Honorable Steven Koch spearheaded construction of the 10,000-seat Wintrust Arena, the new home of the DePaul Blue Demons that will function as an event center for McCormick Place trade shows and exhibitions; and
WHEREAS, passionate and deeply committed to furthering the mission and interests of not-for-profit organizations and charitable foundations, the Honorable Steven Koch served as Chairman of the Board of the Sinai Health System of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository; and
WHEREAS, with his son Jacob, the Honorable Steven Koch raised several hundred thousand dollars for the Sinai Health System of Chicago by riding cross-country; and
WHEREAS, additionally, the Honorable Steven Koch co-chaired the Green Ribbon Committee on Sustainability and Climate Change of Chicago; and served as a life trustee of the Francis Parker School; and
WHEREAS, through his wisdom and guidance, the Honorable Steven Koch has helped to craft a brighter economic future for the citizens of Chicago; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council assembled this twenty-sixth day of July, 2017, do hereby thank the Honorable Steven Koch for his five years of distinguished service to the City of Chicago as Deputy Mayor, and wish him the very best as he begins the next phase of his life; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Honorable Steven Koch.
Edward M. Burke Alderman, 14th Ward