GOVERNOR RYAN AND MAYOR DALEY ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF PULLMAN FACTORY TASK FORCE

CHICAGO -- Governor George H. Ryan and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley today announced the formation of a task force comprised of Pullman residents, historic preservationists, economic development specialists, civic and government leaders to help determine the Pullman factory's future and seek funding sources for their recommendations. The task force will be chaired by former Governor James R. Thompson with Allison S. Davis serving as the vice-chair.

"We are grateful for the dedication shown by the Pullman community towards this internationally significant site," Ryan said. "The cooperative efforts of the state, the city and the residents of the Pullman community will breathe new life into the site."

"This is an excellent partnership that will greatly benefit one of Chicago's most historic neighborhoods," said Mayor Richard M. Daley. "I look forward to the ideas and plans this task force will develop."

The Pullman Palace Car Company, which was heavily damaged in a December 1998 fire, and the nearby Hotel Florence were purchased by the State of Illinois in 1991 and are administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

The Pullman Palace Car Company and surrounding worker residences were built by railroad passenger car magnate George M. Pullman in the 1880s. The architecturally planned "model town" was considered to be the ideal working and living environment until the Pullman Strike of 1894 signaled the beginning of the organized labor movement. The Factory and surrounding neighborhood has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The initial meeting of the Task Force has not been scheduled at this time.

The Task Force membership is attached.

Chair
James R. Thompson, Former Governor of Illinois; Chairman, Winston & Strawn, attorneys

Vice-Chair
Allison S. Davis, Managing Member, DavisDitton LLC, real estate developers; member Chicago Planning Commission
David A. Bahlman, Executive Director, Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois
MarySue Barrett, Executive Director, Metropolitan Planning Council
Jennie R. Betton, Vice President for Community Relations, Pullman Bank
David Bielenberg, architect and Pullman resident
Judy Block, Chairman, Field Museum
Cheryl Blackwell Bryson, labor and employment attorney, Holleb & Coff, Attorneys-at-Law
Victor M. Crivello, Pullman resident and environmental planner, Chicago Training Institute
Dominic Delgado, President, Delgado Erectors, Inc.; President, Hispanic-American Construction Industry Association
Jon B. Devries, Senior Manager, Arthur Anderson LLP, Real Estate and Hospitality Group.
David Dillon, Partner, Dillon & Nash, Ltd., attorneys; Chair, Transportation Committee of Calumet Area Industrial Development Commission
Susan E. Hirsch, Associate Professor of History, Loyola University
Gwendolyn Hughes, Pullman resident and community representative, Edgar Allen Poe Classical Public School
Leon Jackson, President, Multifac Corporation; Co-chair, Chicago United, Inc.
Earl C. Johnson, mechanical engineer and Pullman resident; past-Secretary, Pullman Civic Organization
James E. Mann, Director, Midwest Regional Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Cynthia Martin-McMahon, Pullman resident and Vice President, Historic Pullman Foundation
Raymond Mota, Chairman, Sate of Illinois Capital Development Board, President, Mota Construction Company
David R. Mosena, President and CEO, Museum of Science and Industry
Michael P. O'Neill, President, Chicago-Cook County Building Trades Council
Larry W. Parkman, Chair, Permit Committee of Commission on Chicago Landmarks; architect, Parkman & Weston Associates, Ltd.
Jim Reilly, CEO, Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau
Marc Schulman, President, Eli's Cheesecake Company; Past-President, Landmarks Preservation Council
Michael Shymanski, architect, Pullman resident; Beman Committee, Pullman Civic Organization; Vice President, Historic Pullman Foundation
Joseph A. Williams, President, Target Group, Inc., minority- and women-owned business and workforce development
Maurice Williams, President, Roseland Redevelopment Planning Board; Executive Director, Roseland Christian Homes Corporation

Ex-Officios
Susan Mogerman, Director, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
Christopher R. Hill, Commissioner, City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development
United States Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., 2nd Congressional District of Illinois
Illinois State Senator Emil Jones, Jr., 14th District
Illinois State Representative Thomas J. Dart, 28th District
Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale, 9th Ward
Chicago Alderman John Pope, 10th Ward