RESOLUTION
WHEREAS. With hearts full of best wishes for her future, mixed with regret to see her depart, the Members ofthis Chamber are pleased to congratulate Soo Choi, the Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources, on the occasion of her resignation from the Department; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Choi received her Bachelor's Degree in English in 1996 from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and her Master's Degree in Humanities in 1997 from the University of Chicago. She then worked for one year as an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEC) Assistant at Aon Corporation in Chicago, where she processed employee complaints filed with the EEO and Illinois Department of Human Rights; represented her employer in fact-finding conferences; investigated complaints of discrimination and harassment; and disciplined employees for inappropriate conduct; and
WHEREAS, Intrigued by the law, Ms. Choi attended Cornell Law School in Ithaca, New York, where she served as Articles Editor ofthe Cornell Law Review, and on the Grievance Committee. As a law student, Ms. Choi worked in 1999 as a summer fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union, Reproductive Freedom Project, in New York City; in 2000, as a summer associate at Sidley & Austin; and, in 2001, as a summer associate at Latham & Watkins. She subsequently received offers of employment from both of these prestigious Chicago law firms; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from Cornell Law School in 2001, Ms. Choi accepted a two-year judicial clerkship in the office of The Flonorable James Zegel in the United States District Court for the Northern District oflllinois; and
WHEREAS, In October of 2003. Ms. Choi was hired as an attorney at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago, where she worked in the Intellectual Property and General Litigation Division. In 2004, she joined the Chicago law firm of Much Shelist as a general litigation attorney, where she also served as Vice-Chair of the firm's Pro Bono Committee; and
WHEREAS, In 2006, Ms. Choi began her distinguished career with the Cily of Chicago as an Assistant Inspector General in the Inspector General's Office, a position which she held until 2009, when she was named Deputy Inspector General. During her three-year tenure as Deputy Inspector General. Ms. Choi established the Office's Hiring Oversight Section lo review, monitor and audit key hiring decisions made by the City, as well as related employment processes, and to receive complaints involving allegations of unlawful political discrimination, retaliation, or other improper influences affecting any aspect of City employment; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, Ms. Choi was appointed Commissioner ofthe Department of Human Resources. As Commissioner, she managed a staff of approximately 80 employees charged with hiring more than 35,000 City employees; and
WHEREAS. Ms. Choi's many responsibilities as Commissioner included ensuring that hands-on assistance is provided to job applicants at every step ofthe hiring process from intake
through final selection for hiring; reviewing job descriptions and qualifications for all City positions; determining appropriate compensation for all City jobs; performing audits; administering employee training programs; and improving and modernizing the City's HR practices in areas such as diversity and inclusion, performance management, recruitment, testing, hiring and training of City employees. Among Ms. Choi's proudest accomplishments was the establishment under her watch of Chicago's first parental leave policy; and
WHEREAS, A woman with a strong record of community involvement, Ms Choi has worked as a volunteer for the Honeycomb Project, and, at various times, has served as a Member ofthe Leadership Council and on the Board of Trustees of Chicago House. She has also volunteered to work on a dog team with SitStayRead, a not-for-profit organization that uses an engaging curriculum and certified dogs to teach children to read; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members ofthe City Council ofthe City of Chicago, assembled this ninth day of September, 2020, do hereby congratulate Soo Choi on the occasion of her resignation; express to her our heartfelt gratitude for her many years of exemplary service to the residents ofour great City; and extend to her our best wishes for continued health, happiness, prosperity and success as she turns the page to a new chapter in her life; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy ofthis resolution be presented to Soo Choi as a sign ofour appreciation and esteem.
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