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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING KRIS JARANTOSKI ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF THE CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN
WHEREAS, Kris Jarantoski has served with great distinction as executive vice president and director of the Chicago Botanic Garden for more than four decades, earning the respect and affection of his co-workers; and
WHEREAS, Kris Jarantoski will retire on February 8, 2017; putting an end to his long commute from Chicago and his daily patrol of the Garden from a fast-moving golf cart, and gaining an extra two hours daily, which he intends to fill with language lessons, organ practice, yoga, and hospital volunteer work; and
WHEREAS, as executive vice president and director of the Garden, Kris Jarantoski has overseen the horticulture, plant collections, and facilities and planning of the Garden; developing virtually every display garden, working with the best landscape designers and architects from around the world including Dan Kiley, John Brookes, Oehme, Van Sweden, Michael van Valkenburgh, and Koichi Kawana; and
WHEREAS, Kris Jarantoski has guided the Garden as it has grown from a single Home Landscape Garden to 27 gardens and four natural areas and has put his creative stamp on every one of its 385 acres; and
WHEREAS, Kris Jarantoski led the development of the recently opened Regenstein Learning Campus, including its innovative Nature Play Garden; and
WHEREAS, Kris Jarantoski’s work and his reputation in landscape architecture and design is unparalleled and he has received worldwide recognition, including the American Horticultural Society Professional Award, the Garden Club of America Distinguished Service Medal, the Garden Club of America Honorary Membership, the George Robert White Medal of Honor, the Arthur Hoyt Scott Medal and Award, Honorary Member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and the American Public Gardens Association Honorary Life Member Award; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Botanic Garden’s chairman of the Board of Directors, Robert F. Finke said, “There wouldn’t be a Chicago Botanic Garden without Kris. He has a set the standard of excellence for us and for the entire field;” and
WHEREAS, the Garden honored Kris Jarantoski’s vision and dedication by naming the new nursery and plant production facility for him-the Kris Jarantoski Campus-which is expected to be completed by 2020; and
WHEREAS, Kris Jarantoski earned a bachelor of science in ornamental horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master of science in ornamental horticulture/botany from the University of Minnesota-St. Paul, a master’s degree in business management from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, and is a graduate of the Museum Management Institute at the University of California-Berkeley; and
WHEREAS, Kris Jarantoski is a valued colleague and friend to everyone at the Chicago Botanic Garden and none can imagine the Garden without him; and Kris’s colleagues are happy for him as he begins what everyone hopes will be a long, happy, and healthy retirement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Commissioners of Cook County, on behalf of the 5.2 million residents of Cook County, takes great pleasure in honoring Kris Jarantoski on his retirement and herewith honors and thanks him for all that he has done bettering the lives of the citizens of Cook County, Illinois; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be included among the official proceedings of this honorable body and that an official copy of the same be tendered to Kris Jarantoski on the occasion of his retirement as executive vice president and director of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
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