Bill Text: IL SR0181 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Congratulates Ryan Risinger on his retirement from the Buffalo Grove Park District.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-05 - Resolution Adopted [SR0181 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SR0181-Introduced.html

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SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to
congratulate Ryan Risinger on the occasion of his retirement
from the Buffalo Grove Park District on May 26, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger was first employed by the Buffalo
Grove Park District as an intern in May of 1992 after earning
his bachelor's degree in parks and recreation from Illinois
State University; he was hired full-time as recreation
supervisor in November of that same year; he was then promoted
to division manager in 1996, superintendent of recreation in
2001, director of recreation and facilities in 2010, and
deputy director in 2013; he was named executive director on
November 29, 2014; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger continued his education while
working full-time for the Buffalo Grove Park District; he
attended Indiana University's Executive Development Program,
North Carolina State's School of Sports Management at Oglebay,
and Disney Institute's Keys to Success and Customer Loyalty
Programs; he is a certified Park and Recreation Executive and
earned his master's degree in public administration from
Villanova in 2015; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger became active in the Illinois Parks

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and Recreation Association (IPRA) through the recreation
section and eventually the administration and finance section;
he served on the Mentoring Committee and was recognized by the
IPRA for his efforts and contributions as Mentoring Committee
Chairman in 2003 and 2004; he has spoken on various
educational topics, including The Ups & Downs of Skate Parks
and It Takes a Village: Controlling the Crisis, which focused
on the importance of community crisis training with local law
enforcement; he also co-authored a partnership article titled
A Wireless Solution that was featured in the Illinois Park and
Recreation magazine; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger's advocacy efforts for parks and
recreation on a national level led the Buffalo Grove Park
District to be named National Recreation and Park
Association's Park Champion of the Year in 2015; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger, as executive director, was
actively involved in the Illinois Association of Park
Districts (IAPD) and IPRA's Distinguished Accreditation
program committee; he served as co-chair in 2017 and chair in
2018; he remained on the committee in 2019 and 2020 and was
co-chair in 2022; the Buffalo Grove Park District was
accredited five times over his 30-year career; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger was an advocate for professional

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development and ensured that his district's staff had the
opportunity to attend state conferences as well as
national/regional professional development programs; he has
been a respected and dedicated leader who promoted a positive
work culture where people not only wanted to work but wanted to
stay throughout their career; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger fostered positive relationships
with governmental agencies, including the Village of Buffalo
Grove, school districts, the Indian Trails Public Library
District, sports affiliate groups, and sponsors; he was an
active member of the Rotary Club of Buffalo Grove, where he
served as president in 2017-18; he served on the Northwest
Special Recreation Association Board of Directors from 2015 to
2022, including as chairman in 2020; he was a member of the
Special Leisure Services Foundation Board of Trustees in 2021
and 2022 and was a long-standing liaison to the Buffalo Grove
Chamber of Commerce; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger oversaw the renovation of the
Buffalo Grove Park District's Community Arts Center; partially
funded with a PARC grant, the 41,000 SF LEED-certified
facility was developed with the arts in mind; it has a
state-of-the-art, 360 tiered-seat theater with an ADA
accessible sound booth, concessions, box office, multipurpose
areas, and an art gallery; the center offers over a 100

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different classes with more than 852 performers yearly, as
well performing arts camps that serve more than 400 campers;
it operates as a rental hub year-round for local groups
including churches, synagogues, arangetrams, quinceaneras,
community outreach groups, non-profits, and other local
government agencies; the district was honored to receive the
distinction of Outstanding Facility Award: Division II for
this facility by the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association
in January of 2020; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger's leadership enabled the district
to complete many park developments, including the renovation
of the district's park gem, Willow Stream Park, which received
upgraded pathways, additional trails, a new playground, pool
upgrades and slide, permeable paving, and a pavilion; that
project was followed by a large renovation of Reiner Park
(formerly Green Lake Park) with the addition of a cricket
pitch, outdoor exercise equipment, a fishing pier, and a
butterfly garden; he also oversaw the development of the
Educational Gardens and Classroom at Mike Rylko Community
Park, which encourages the community to be curious about the
natural world with a focus on food sustainability and native
plants; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger also oversaw the Alcott Center
pre-school wing renovation, the construction of the Golf Dome,

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and the proposed Prairie Grove and Parkchester Park
renovations, as well as the Spray 'N Play expansion and
Amphitheater construction at Mike Rylko Community Park; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Risinger's legacy of service will leave a
lasting impact on the State of Illinois parks and recreation
field and on the community of Buffalo Grove; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Ryan
Risinger on his retirement from the Buffalo Grove Park
District, and we wish him well in all his future endeavors; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to Ryan Risinger as a symbol of our respect and
esteem.