Bill Text: IL HR1515 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the death of Deborah M. Sawyer.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-11-30 - Resolution Adopted [HR1515 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-HR1515-Introduced.html

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HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of Deborah
M. Sawyer, who passed away on August 7, 2016 at the age of 60;
and
WHEREAS, Deborah Sawyer was the founder, President, and CEO
of Chicago-based Environmental Design International (EDI); for
over 25 years, she inspired countless women and minority
business owners; she broke the glass ceiling for black women in
the engineering and environmental fields of science; and
WHEREAS, Deborah Sawyer earned a Bachelor of Arts in
political science from Emory University and a Master of Science
in petroleum microbiology from Eastern New Mexico University;
and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Deborah Sawyer, EDI grew
to over 70 employees and continues to provide engineering and
environmental consulting services to governmental agencies and
Fortune 500 companies, and is a certified Woman and
Minority-Owned Business Enterprise; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, Deborah Sawyer was one of five
entrepreneurs who received the Green Award from Chicago

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Magazine after demonstrating that good business sense and
protecting the environment are not mutually exclusive; she was
also central in securing EDI's role as Engineer of Record for
Exelon City Solar, the largest urban solar power plant in the
United States; and
WHEREAS, Deborah Sawyer and EDI won and finished a prime
contract as part of the Illinois Department of Transportation's
more than $900 million reconstruction project to rebuild and
widen the local and express lanes on the I-90/94 Dan Ryan
Expressway in Chicago; EDI provided construction engineering
and inspection services for the improvements of 5.1 miles of
I-90/94 northbound local and express lanes from 71st Street to
31st Street; the construction costs for this segment were more
than $100 million and it was one of the first major African
American-only prime engineering contracts for a highway
project in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Deborah Sawyer and EDI received many local, State,
and national awards, including the Illinois Black Chamber of
Commerce Outstanding Business of the Year Award in 2013, the
U.S. Small Business Association Minority Small Business of the
Year Award, the State Farm Phenomenal Woman Award, the Chicago
Women of Achievement Award, the ACEC-IIlinois Engineers
Community Service Award, and the Women's Business Enterprise
National Council Woman-Owned Business Star Award; and

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WHEREAS, Deborah Sawyer showed unwavering commitment to
service in Chicago; she served on many charitable boards and
dedicated her free time to the students at the Young Women's
Leadership Charter School of Chicago, encouraging them to
pursue studies in science and engineering; and
WHEREAS, Deborah Sawyer was a friend and neighbor of
President Barack Obama in the Kenwood-Hyde Park neighborhood;
she maintained a longtime and close relationship with the
President; and
WHEREAS, Deborah Sawyer is survived by her mother, Betty P.
Sawyer; her sister, Leslie J. Sawyer (Rick Redmon); her
brother, Dr. William Gregory Sawyer (Dr. Rita Gloria Sawyer);
and her beloved pets; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
express our sorrow at the death of Deborah M. Sawyer and join
her family and community in mourning the loss of this great
trailblazer of women in engineering,; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Deborah Sawyer as an expression of
our sympathy.