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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE RETIREMENT OF MR. CHRIS T. MERENOWICZ
WHEREAS, Mr. Chris Merenowicz has retired from his position as the Director of the Department of Resource Management at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County after a career at the Preserves that has spanned over 28 years; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Merenowicz earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology from Eastern Illinois University in 1981, he began his career at the Forest Preserve District of Cook County as a Naturalist Aide upon graduation, then leaving the District in 1982 to become the Director of Animal Control for the City of Aurora.; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Merenowicz returned to the Forest Preserve to begin his illustrious career and accept full-time employment as a Naturalist I in 1986 in the Conservation Department;
WHEREAS, Mr. Merenowicz accepted the Fisheries Biologist I position in 1987; and was then promoted to Chief Fisheries Biologist in 1993 where he lead the coordination of the Skokie Lagoon's Lake Restoration Project and developed the Tampier Lake Walleye Propagation program, which allowed the stocking of millions of walleye into Preserve lakes. In addition, he coordinated the Urban Fishing Program and established the Fisheries department which manages over forty lakes; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Merenowicz was then appointed as the Director of the Conservation Department in 1999 and led the District's six nature centers, Ecology section, Wildlife section, Volunteer Resources section and Fisheries section; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Merenowicz, during the District's tough financial times in 2002, was instrumental in the creation of the Resource Management Department in 2003. At this time, he was appointed to the position of Assistant Director of the new department and assisted with the implementation of the District-wide trail-signage program, coordinated the department's SB-83 projects, and developed the stocking of large species of game fish such as, walleye and...
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