Honoring Judge Annette M. Rizzo for her outstanding leadership in Philadelphia's Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program and wishing her well as she retires from the bench to take on new challenges at JAMS, the largest private alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider in the world.

WHEREAS, Judge Annette M. Rizzo was appointed to the Court of Common Pleas in Philadelphia in 1998 by Governor Tom Ridge. She received her BA in Public Policy and Italian Literature at The University of Pennsylvania and went on to complete her legal studies at Temple University School of Law; and

WHEREAS, Judge Rizzo has been a tremendous public servant. She has been active in several community organizations and served on many nonprofit boards and remains active in the public sector; and

WHEREAS, Prior to the establishment of the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program, as early as 2004, Judge Rizzo met regularly with stakeholders to discuss the mortgage foreclosure process; and

WHEREAS, Judge Rizzo then presided over the nationally acclaimed Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program since its inception in April, 2008. This program has helped Homeowners remain in their homes, which also helped preserve the neighborhoods in which they were located by stemming the ravages of blight; and

WHEREAS, Judge Rizzo worked to further expand the services connected with the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program to include financial literacy training in order to help people who faced foreclosure reestablish financial stability in their lives. Recent statistics from the November 2014 report issued by The Reinvestment Fund indicate the number of households remaining in their homes two and a half years after participating in the program led by Judge Rizzo has risen to 92.3%; and

WHEREAS, The Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program's alternative dispute resolution process helps cut down litigation costs while transforming non-performing loans into performing ones. Judge Rizzo's commitment to innovative problem-solving will serve JAMS well as Judge Rizzo assumes her new role and challenges with the largest alternative dispute resolution provider in the world; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors Judge Annette M. Rizzo for her outstanding leadership in Philadelphia's Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program and wishing her well as she retires from the bench to take on new challenges at JAMS.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Judge Annette M. Rizzo as a symbol of this legislative body's admiration, well wishes and sincere sentiments.

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