Resolution Honoring Michael Holewinski
WHEREAS, Michael Holewinski was born April 30,1947, and passed away June 19, 2017; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski was a graduate of Lane Tech High School, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and The John Marshall Law School; and
WHEREAS, in 1975, Mr. Holewinski, at the age of 26, took on a Democratic machine-backed candidate for State Representative on the Northwest Side and won, serving two terms in the Illinois General Assembly; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1972 and 1980; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski, a leading voice for governmental reform and progressive politics, coordinated Mayor Harold Washington's successful campaign on the Northwest Side; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski joined the Washington administration during the Mayor's first week in office, overseeing 16 City departments, and serving as Mayor Washington's point person on several of his most progressive policy initiatives; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski played a pivotal role in the appointment of two police superintendents, coordinated Mayor Washington's successful passage of an ethic ordinance, and handled efforts to reform Chicago's taxi industry; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski stayed on with the administration of Mayor Eugene Sawyer until January 1988; and
WHEREAS, after leaving the Mayor's Office, Mr. Holewinski took over his father's metal plating business, Ace Plating Company, doubling the company's workforce and quadrupling its annual revenue; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski expanded his business, acquiring Acme Spinning Company, F&S Stamping, Cano Tool, Art Specialty, and Barnes Plating; and
WHEREAS, while running his businesses and preserving manufacturing jobs in Chicago, Mr. Holewinski continued his public service, serving two terms as Vice Chairman of the Illinois Gaming Commission under Gov. Patrick Quinn; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski was a ceaseless advocate for the manufacturing industry as Chairman of the Illinois Manufacturers Association, where he championed the benefits of keeping small manufacturers in Illinois and argued for common sense immigration reform, among other issues; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holewinski was married to his high school sweetheart, Mary, and the couple raised two children: Jeffery, who worked alongside his father in the family business, and Annie, who proceeded Mr. Holewinski in passing; now
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, gathered here in assembly on July 26, 2017, do hereby express sincere thankfulness for Mr. Holewinski's lifetime of contributions to our City, both as a business owner and a public servant, and offer our heartfelt condolences to his family on his passing; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Mr. Holewinski's family as a token of our gratitude.
