Chicago Metro Chapter celebrates 75 years Larry Lux President, Lux Advisors, Ltd. Plainfield, Illinois Historian, APWA Chicago Metro Chapter Former member, APWA Board of Directors
History In 1933, as the City of Chicago was preparing for the “Century of Progress” World’s Fair to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the city, two major Chicago-based professional organizations, the American Society of Municipal Engineers (ASME) and the International Association of Public Works Officials (IAPWO) decided to merge and form the American Public Works Association (APWA). At that time three chapters of the predecessor organization already were in existence: the Chicago Chapter, the New Orleans Chapter and the Delaware Valley Chapter. These three chapters became the foundation upon which today’s premier organization, APWA, was built. In 2006, then-Chicago Chapter President Victor Ramirez and the Chapter Executive Committee decided to organize a celebration of the chapter’s 75th Anniversary with the goal to increase awareness of the many services provided to our communities by public works professionals and improve the image of the many contributions that public works renders every day. I was proud to be asked to lead the effort to put together a group of members to organize the celebration. The first meeting of the organizing committee was held on July 26, 2006, at which time a draft plan was assembled to mark the anniversary with a year-long series of events and activities designed to draw attention to our chapter, its accomplishments and our members. It was also decided that for every chapter event throughout the year a complimentary special commemorative memento would be included as a part of the event.
Getting it together The chapter agreed to provide the funding necessary to get the project off the ground. One of the very first decisions made was to create a unique identity and tag line for the celebration. We retained a professional graphic 75th Anniverdesigner to assist us in the effort. We wanted sary Logo to have something that was reminiscent of the Official 1933 World’s Fair poster, but reflected the 75 years of service of the chapter. After reviewing a number of options, it was decided that we would adopt the logo shown here that was used throughout 2008 to draw attention to the various activities. The theme “Improving the Chicago Area 44
APWA Reporter
April 2009
Quality of Life for 75 Years” was also adopted and used on all printed materials throughout the year. No successful event, especially one of this magnitude, is possible without the financial support and participation of its members and their organizations. Fortunately, Chicago has always enjoyed the strong partnership with the consultant and supplier community, and with their generous participation, the chapter was ultimately able to generate nearly $75,000 in sponsorships that made the entire program possible. About 25 key chapter leaders and officers planned, organized and executed one of the most memorable and ambitious projects ever undertaken by the chapter. The following is a brief summary of the wide variety of events and activities that were conducted to recognize this remarkable history.
The calendar A 75th Anniversary year calendar was created that focused on the rich history of the chapter. The chapter and each of the five branches had their own month to feature their past events and accomplishments. Other months featured the chapter Calendar Cover history as host of the APWA Congress, our annual Holiday Party, educational programs, current and former national leaders from the chapter, golf outings and awards, culminating with a series of nostalgic photos from the past. The calendar was distributed at the chapter’s Holiday Party and mailed to every member who was unable to attend the event. The calendar cover featured the various logos the chapter has had over their 75-year history.
The kickoff The year began with an “Anniversary Kickoff” held as part of our annual Chapter Holiday Party in December 2007. Approximately 325 members and guests were present to join in the day’s celebration. The event featured a slide show highlighting many historic photos of past events and activities. As the APWA headquarters was in Chicago for much of the history of the organization, all former headquarters staff members still living in the area were invited to attend