MORRIS, IL – State Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said community leader and long-time member of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) Board Jim Baum was honored on September 18 at IRMA’s Annual Dinner upon his retirement.
The recognition was a surprise to Mr. Baum and his wife Carol, as the dinner was organized to honor retiring President of IRMA, David Vite.
“Mr. Vite said a few very nice words about me, and then presented me with an award, which I did not expect,” Mr. Baum said. “It was a great evening and I have been happy to serve on the board and be an officer for so many years.”
Mr. Baum has served on the IRMA Board for over 25 years, holding the position of Corporate Secretary for the last 16 years.
Sen. Rezin said that Mr. Baum is a true leader in the community and he and his wife have served as mentors to her throughout the years.
“Jim has been a friend and mentor to me since we served together on the Community Foundation Board,” Sen. Rezin said. “His leadership in the community has not gone unnoticed. He started the Community Foundation Board, been successful in business, and has served several years on the IRMA Board. He is the perfect example of a corporate citizen and role model. I was pleased to see him be honored at the dinner for his service with the association.”
Sen. Rezin is pictured at the dinner with Jim Baum (right) and his wife, Carol (left), who worked with Mr. Baum for several years in business and attended the dinner with him on September 18.