HR0387LRB103 33375 LAW 63187 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of James 
4Schine "Jim" Crown, who passed away on June 25, 2023; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, James Crown was born to Lester and Renée (Schine) 
6Crown in Chicago on June 25, 1953; he graduated from New Trier 
7East High School in Winnetka in 1971; he earned his bachelor's 
8degree in political science from Hampshire College in Amherst, 
9Massachusetts in 1976; he completed his law degree at Stanford 
10University; he married Paula Hannaway in 1985; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, After earning his law degree, James Crown began 
12working for Salomon Brothers, the New York City investment 
13bank, becoming vice president in 1983; after he and his wife 
14moved to Chicago, he joined the family investment firm, Henry 
15Crown and Company, where he served as chairman and CEO; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, James Crown additionally served as director of 
17General Dynamics, a member of the board of directors of 
18JPMorgan Chase & Co., board chair of the Aspen Institute, and 
19chairman of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of 
20Chicago; and
  
 
21    WHEREAS, James Crown was an early supporter of Barack 
 
 
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1Obama after meeting him in 2003; he raised thousands of 
2dollars in support of  Obama's political campaigns for the U.S. 
3Senate and the presidency, becoming Obama's chief presidential 
4fundraiser in Illinois; he was appointed by then-President 
5Obama to serve on the Intelligence Advisory Board, an 
6independent group that advises the president on the 
7effectiveness and goals of U.S. intelligence agencies; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, James Crown was an avid philanthropist, donating 
9his time and funds to various entities and organizations, 
10including the University of Chicago, where he served as the 
11chairman of the university's board of trustees from 2003 to 
122009; he and his wife, Paula, additionally donated $75 million 
13to the university in 2021; in turn, his family was honored when 
14the university renamed its social services school as the Crown 
15Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice; and
  
 
16    WHEREAS, More recently, James Crown concentrated his 
17efforts on addressing the issue of  gun violence in Chicago by 
18encouraging the city's business leaders to create thousands of 
19jobs in underserved areas of the city, providing millions of 
20dollars for civilian violence intervention programs, and 
21supporting law enforcement and low-income communities; and
  
 
22    WHEREAS, James Crown, who kept a home in Aspen, was also an 
23avid skier and a managing partner of the Aspen Skiing Company, 
 
 
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1which operates a resort; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, James Crown was a big-hearted, kind, and 
3charitable individual who tirelessly fought for a better world 
4for all, believed in the power of civic engagement, treated 
5everyone with dignity and respect, and truly embodied the soul 
6of Chicago; he will be remembered as an exemplary example of a 
7great American; and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, James Crown is survived by his wife; his parents, 
9his brothers, Steve and Daniel; his sisters, Patricia "PC", 
10Susan, Sara, and Janet Crown; his daughters, Torie, Hayley, 
11and Summer Crown; his son, W. Andrew Crown; and two grandsons; 
12therefore, be it
  
 
13    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
14HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
15we mourn the passing of James Schine "Jim" Crown and extend our 
16sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew 
17and loved him; and be it further
  
 
18    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
19presented to the family of James Crown as an expression of our 
20deepest sympathy.