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WHEREAS, On December 14, 2010, President Barak Obama signed an Executive Order creating the first White House Council for Community Solutions, bringing together 25 leaders from across the country to work toward solving community issues; and
WHEREAS, North Side native William E. Strickland, Jr. was asked to serve and accepted; and
WHEREAS, Bill Strickland, cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh majoring in American History and foreign affairs, is the son of William and Evelyn Strickland, loving husband of Rose, father of Julie and Olivia Claire and grandfather of Ty and Beau and brother of Mark;
WHEREAS, Mr. Strickland, inspired by his Oliver High School art teacher, Frank Ross, redirected his life creating the impetus to change many others; and
WHEREAS, other of Mr. Strickland's inspirations have been J. T. Wright, a psychologist and Unitarian minister, K. Leroy Irvis, teacher, lawyer, poet, first African-American speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, who helped Strickland to develop Manchester Bidwell Corp., James L. Heskett, Baker Foundation professor, Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University, who helped Strickland develop the Manchester Bidwell replication model and Jeffrey Skoll, former president of eBay and movie producer; and
WHEREAS, Pittsburgh knows Mr. Strickland as a forward thinking, bright, entrepreneur who created and runs Manchester Bidwell Corporation, made up of the Manchester Craftsman's Guild, the Bidwell Training Center, MCG Jazz and MCG Youth and Arts, through grants, partnerships, innovation and the belief that, especially children, need strong mentors, educational programs and artistic expression to develop responsibility and integrity; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Strickland's drive prompted him to replicate his programs in San Francisco, Grand Rapids, Cleveland and Cincinnati, and is working on similar programs near our sister city, Karmiel, Israel, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Strickland received numerous prestigious honors including the MacArthur "Genius" award for his contributions to the arts and his community, a Grammy for MCG Jazz, America's most successful subscription Jazz series, and also served on former President George W. Bush's Committee on the Arts and Humanities; and
WHEREAS, President Obama also chose these leaders who dedicated their lives to social innovation and civic engagement through philanthropic, corporate and nonprofit work to create key policy goals, provide strategic input and recommend greater innovation and collaboration; joining Mr. Strickland is Jon Bon Jovi, chairman of Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation; John Donahoe, president and CEO of ebay; Paula Boggs, executive vice president, General Council and Secretary of Starbucks Coffee; Jim Gibbons, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International and Judith Rodin, president of the Rockefeller Foundation; and
WHEREAS, with the help of President Obama, the Council plans to replicate and fund the successful programs and projects they have created in their neighborhoods on a nationwide basis, hoping to make a significant impact and get results, particularly for youth-related programs;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby commend Bill Strickland for being chosen one in 25 of President Obama's White House Council for Community Solutions; and for his courage and foresight building programs that guide our children and adults toward achieving a better life and a higher purpose; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Tuesday, January 11, 2011, is hereby declared "Bill Strickland Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.