County of Tree & Plaque: Bond County.
Location of Tree: 2nd St., Greenville.
Plaque Text:
In Honor of
SENATOR FRANK WATSON
Illinois Minority Leader (R-51)
A white oak tree was planted
Senator Frank Watson
Senate Republican Leader
Frank Watson has served in the Illinois Senate since 1983. He is currently the Senate Republican Leader, having served in leadership since 1993.
Previously, Watson served in the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983. He is a former supervisor and trustee of Bond County, Central Township.
As a legislator, Senator Watson sponsored a model welfare reform program that has successfully helped people move from the welfare rolls to the employment rolls. He also championed economic development issues that helped bring new businesses to Illinois and helped other businesses expand.
Senator Watson sponsored school reform measures that improve the quality of public education in Illinois. Led the way for more funding for public education, making education Illinois' top budget priority. He also sponsored college tuition programs to help make higher education more affordable.
Watson also sponsored legislation to improve rural health care, transportation and promote Illinois coal, passed legislation to help clean up contaminated industrial sites, and led the fight to reduce state mandates on local government.
He is a member of the Greenville Jaycees; the Decatur, Greenville, Sullivan, Mt. Zion, O'Fallon, Salem, Centralia, and Greater Shelbyville Area Chambers of Commerce; and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
Senator Watson is a registered pharmacist and owner of Watson’s Drug Store in Greenville.
He is a native of Greenville where he lives with his wife, Susan. They have two adult children.
Senator's Web Site is Here: Senator Fran Watson