City of Philadelphia - File #: 160572

• File #: 160572
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 5/26/2016
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 5/26/2016
• Title: Recognizing and Honoring Bob Grossmann after Seventeen Years of Dedicated Service to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez, Councilmember Gym, Councilmember Green, Councilmember Domb, Councilmember Johnson, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Henon, Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Greenlee, Council President Clarke, Councilmember Parker, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Taubenberger, Councilmember O'Neill

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
5/26/2016	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Ordered Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar	Pass
5/26/2016	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED

Title
Recognizing and Honoring Bob Grossmann after Seventeen Years of Dedicated Service to the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Body
WHEREAS, Bob Grossmann, the loving husband of Elizabeth Riley, the proud father of two beautiful daughters Naina and Gianna, and son Jared, will be retiring after 17 years at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society; and

WHEREAS, During his time at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Bob stood out for his leadership and a number of achievements, most notably the development of one of the organization's linchpin efforts, the LandCare program, which has been a national and international model for urban revival; and

WHEREAS, Under Bob's guidance, in partnership with the City of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society has helped transform neighborhoods throughout the City and fulfill its mission to create healthy, sustainable communities; and

WHEREAS, In 2000 Mr. Grossmann directed the creation and growth of the LandCare program, which is a project of the Philadelphia Empowerment Zone as an innovative approach to remedy the ravages of urban blight and abandonment across the City's neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Since 2003 Bob expanded the program, such that his signature post-and-rail fences can now be seen on nearly 8,000 vacant parcels around the City; and

WHEREAS, A vital component of the program, Community LandCare, engages community partners in the management of 3,000 lots and provides 100 green jobs for neighborhood residents and returning citizens; and

WHEREAS, Bob continued to innovate the LandCare program for deeper impact, including a pilot program started in spring 2016 that placed 30 returning citizens in jobs with full-service landscaping contracting companies working in the LandCare program; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure at Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Bob managed responsibilities for tree-planting activities and the development of the Roots to Re-entry program, which prov...