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Special recognition of Mark Pfister for his years of service to the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center.
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SPECIAL RECOGNITION
WHEREAS, Mark Pfister has dedicated 33 years to Lake County, having joined the Lake County Health Department in 1991; and
WHEREAS, Mark became the Associate Director of Environmental Health Services (EHS) in 2005, before serving as Interim Director in 2009; and
WHEREAS, in June 2016, Mark began serving as the Interim Executive Director of the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center (LCHD/CHC), before being appointed Executive Director in January 2017; and
WHEREAS, Mark led over 60 public health, behavioral health, and medical programs at over 20 locations in Lake County with approximately 1,000 employees; and
WHEREAS, Mark initiated the implementation of groups such as Live Well Lake County, a community-led coalition of more than 150 partners working together to advance health equity; and
WHEREAS, Mark and the Health Department were instrumental in passing statewide legislation that increased the minimum legal sales age for tobacco products to 21 in efforts to prevent tobacco use among youth; and
WHEREAS, during his time with Lake County, Mark led and enhanced the department’s Lakes Management Unit, receiving national recognition; supervised and coordinated all EHS programs, created the first LCHD/CHC Health Equity team and developed and assisted with the implementation of the LCHD/CHC performance management system; and
WHEREAS, under Mark’s leadership, the County successfully navigated the Covid-19 pandemic and protected the Lake County community through the distribution of personal protective equipment, educational materials and events, guided the distribution of vaccines and vaccinations and established one of the first drive-through vaccination sites in the state; and
WHEREAS, Mark led the coordinated effort to monitor the air in Lake County for ethylene oxide to obtain the necessary data for partner agencies to inform residents of potential health risks in the form of a cancer incidence study from the Illinois Department of Public Health, a risk analysis from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and a health consultation from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; and
WHEREAS, Mark facilitated the collaboration between healthcare leaders in Lake County to create Access Lake, a non-profit formed of area hospitals aimed at coordinating and increasing access to affordable, specialty healthcare services to eligible, uninsured residents, with a shared goal of increasing access and improving their health by managing their care and reducing cost; and
WHEREAS, Mark promoted the health and well-being of Lake County residents by serving as Vice President of the Board of Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium, collaborating with other health departments across the state, influencing the state policy and legislation and securing funding for vital programs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RECOGNIZED, that this County Board of Lake County, Illinois hereby honors Mark Pfister for his 33 years of dedicated service with the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center; and
BE IT FURTHER RECOGNIZED that Mark’s loyalty and passion to Lake County, as well as his commitment to disease prevention and health promotion principles, including community assessment, community engagement, and health equity, has been invaluable to Lake County’s residents and Lake County Health Department’s clients, and staff. The Lake County Board congratulates Mark on his retirement and sends best wishes for his next chapter in life.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on August 13, 2024.