RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF JULY 15, 2021
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners congratulating Thomas J. Kotel on his retirement
Body
WHEREAS, Thomas J. Kotel was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, where he attended Little Flower Grammar School and Leo High School. In May of 1978, he was accepted into the Pipe Fitters Local Union No. 597 (Union), the largest Pipe Fitters Local Union in the United States and Canada. In 1982, Mr. Kotel earned his journeyman status. Since joining the Union, he has been employed as a foreman, general foreman, mechanical superintendent, and general superintendent. Showcasing his vast array of knowledge and skills, Mr. Kotel has worked on projects involving oil refineries, nuclear power plants, chemical plants, and the O’Hare International Airport; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Kotel is currently the Recording Secretary of the Union. Elected to this role in 2006, he has served on the Board of Trustees and monitored invested assets exceeding $2 billion. He is currently a trustee of both the Welfare and Retirement Funds. Mr. Kotel has been a full-time officer of the Union for more than 20 years; and
WHEREAS, furthermore, he has also taken on roles at numerous labor organizations including serving as a member of the Finance Committee of the Illinois State Pipe Trades Association; a member of the Illinois Plumbing Council Board; a member of the Labor Management Committee on Healthcare for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago; and a delegate for the Union to the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council, the Chicago Federation of Labor, and the C.O.P.E.; and
WHEREAS, in addition to his Union roles, Mr. Kotel was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Regional Transportation Authority, serving on the Finance and Compensation & Human Resources Committees. Prior to that, he served as a commissioner on the Public Building Commission of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, Mr. Kotel was recognized for his work on the Public Building Commission of Chicago by former mayor Rahm Emanuel; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Kotel and his wife Sandy are parents to three wonderful children. Mr. Kotel is a committed little league baseball coach, an avid outdoorsman, and a huge fan of the Chicago White Sox; and
WHEREAS, after many years of hard work, service, and dedication to the residents of Chicago and Cook County, Mr. Kotel has decided to retire. He leaves behind a distinguished career underscored by his commitment to organized labor and his unwavering focus on improving the construction industry; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, do hereby congratulate Thomas J. Kotel on his much deserved retirement; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and that a copy of the same, suitably engrossed, be presented to Thomas J. Kotel.
Dated: July 15, 2021