Retiring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White honored with gala
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Illinois leaders sent off longtime Secretary of State Jesse White in style Wednesday night.
State leaders staged a gala to honor White's decades of tremendous public service. The dinner was attended by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Gov. JB Pritzker, and other people who have served in the upper echelons of Illinois government.
White has served as Illinois Secretary of State since 1999. He is the longest-serving secretary of state in Illinois history.
White is widely credited with cleaning up the department, making it more efficient, and promoting key programs like the organ donation system.
Before he was elected secretary of state, he'd served as Cook County Recorder of Deeds, as state representative, and other elected posts. He also played professional baseball in the Cubs minor league system.
White also formed the Jesse White Tumblers in 1959 to help underprivileged youth in Chicago.
