BBP's Harmon Named IPPFA Legislator of Year

CHICAGO - Illinois State Senator Don Harmon, a partner at Burke Burns & Pinelli, Ltd., has been named 2009 Legislator of the Year by the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association.

Harmon received the honor for what the IPPFA called his "many contributions to this Association and the community" over his seven years in the Illinois Senate.

"We recognized Senator Harmon for his commitment to the State of Illinois, his leadership during these difficult times, and his leadership in ethics in government," said IPPFA President Jim McNamee, who presented the award to Harmon at a ceremony earlier this month.

Harmon (D-Oak Park) has championed several pieces of legislation involving public pension funds during his tenure in the General Assembly. In 2009, he sponsored a bill to improve the training for pension trustees of downstate police and firefighter funds. Governor Pat Quinn signed the bill into law in August.

"[Senator Harmon] displayed great vision in passing training standards that have made Illinois a leader in having the most educated and informed public pension trustees in the country," McNamee said.

The IPPFA was founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit umbrella organization representing police and fire defined benefit retirement funds in the state of Illinois.

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