LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring John Hanna, Jr., upon the occasion of
his retirement from the Archives Partnership Trust on May 23, 2013

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that individuals who
would safeguard the essential records of the governments, organizations,
events and peoples of the State of New York perform a noble and vital
service in their efforts to ensure that the complete history of our
State and Nation is preserved and accessible to present and future
generations of citizens; and
WHEREAS, It is also the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
and honor those distinguished persons in this great Empire State who
have devoted themselves to faithfully serving the best interests of
their community and the needs of its residents; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concerns, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor John
Hanna, Jr. upon the occasion of his retirement from the Archives Part-
nership Trust; he will officially step down after the Annual Meeting on
Thursday, May 23, 2013; and
WHEREAS, The New York State Archives, a division of the University of
the State of New York, holds some of the State's most important documen-
tary history in records that date as far back as the Dutch colonial
period to the present day; housed within its collections are more than
220 million documents and over 810 gigabytes of information; and
WHEREAS, Reaching every community in New York State, the Archives is
truly the place where history goes on record; by saving community herit-
age, improving citizen access to important records, and enriching educa-
tion and life-long learning, the Archives enable all citizens to embrace
the past, gain perspective on the present, and enhance the future; and
WHEREAS, The Archives Partnership Trust is an innovative public bene-
fit and nonprofit corporation that raises funds from both the public and
private sectors to support programs that ensure the preservation of, and
access to, records in the New York State Archives; and
WHEREAS, John Hanna, Jr., a founding partner with the prestigious law
firm of Whiteman, Osterman and Hanna, was appointed to the Archives
Partnership Trust Board of Directors in 1995, and has served as Chair
since 1996; and
WHEREAS, Throughout his 17 year tenure, John Hanna, Jr. served the
Archives Partnership Trust with intelligence and caring dedication,
continuously striving to effectively fulfill the duties of his position;
his commitment to support the Trust grew out of his recognition that the
New York State Archives is one of the most important documentary
resources in the Nation; and
WHEREAS, Under the luminous leadership of John Hanna, Jr., the
Archives Partnership Trust has matured as a statewide fundraising and
programming organization in support of the State Archives and its
mission to preserve and improve access to New York's documentary herit-
age; and
WHEREAS, Highlights of the Archives Partnership Trust's many initi-
atives and accomplishments of the past 17 years include: sponsorship of
the Larry J. Hackman Research Residency Program, which has brought more
than 150 scholars to do research in the State Archives; creation of NEW
YORK ARCHIVES magazine; completion of a National Endowment for the
Humanities campaign to raise vital endowment funds to support education
and access programs; the annual Empire State Archives and History Award
program; numerous conferences and public educational events, including
two annual statewide conferences on New York State history; and the

launch of the National Public Radio nationally syndicated broadcast
series, Power of Words with WAMC Northeast Public Radio; and
WHEREAS, Sincerely loved and greatly respected by all those with whom
he worked, John Hanna, Jr. will be remembered for his honesty, integri-
ty, keen sense of duty and ability to show a unique grasp of human prob-
lems in his official acts; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity to
express its highest admiration for John Hanna, Jr., and for all of the
individuals who have worked to preserve and bring attention to the docu-
mentary evidence of New York State's role in the grand panorama of
history; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor John Hanna, Jr., upon the occasion of his retirement from the
Archives Partnership Trust on May 23, 2013, and to wish him continued
success in his future endeavors; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to John Hanna, Jr.