Patricia Marie Holden

Patricia ?Pat? M. Holden, 57, of Hoffman Estates, Illinois, passed away on June 29, 2015 after battling a rare auto-immune disease. Arrangements were handled by Ahlgrim & Son?s Funeral & Cremation Services Limited, Schaumburg, Illinois. A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, July 17, 2015 in Chicago.

Pat was born on October 6, 1957 in Billings, Montana into a family of four girls where her grandfather gave her a love for politics. She made known her intention of pursuing a career in government relations at the age of six. She graduated from Billings High School and went on to receive a Bachelor?s degree in political science and labor studies from Oregon State University. Always a trendsetter and ahead of her time, she served as the very first intern lobbyist at the Oregon State Legislature.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Martha and Edward Holden also of Billings. She is survived by her loving husband of nearly 20 years, Charley Burhan, three sisters and seven nieces and nephews.

Pat joined Bank of America in 2001 and was a senior vice president serving in state and local government relations responsible for the strategy to manage the bank?s public policy area in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin. Pat worked with elected officials across the Midwest and especially in her beloved City of Chicago. Pat was highly respected by her peers across the country for her professionalism, dedication and experience in government relations.

Prior to joining Bank of America, she was Vice President of State Affairs for the American Insurance Association (AIA) where she was the Midwest lobbyist for nine years based in Chicago. In 1986, she became Philip Morris? Director of Government Affairs for the Midwest before joining the AIA.

Pat was a four year member of the board of directors of the State Government Affairs Council, a professional lobbyist organization whose members are corporate governmental affairs staff with multi-state responsibilities. She was also President of the Industry Advisory Council of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) after serving several terms on the board of directors.

Her civic and community activities were varied throughout her career including her election as a Commissioner of the Hoffman Estates Park District as well as serving on numerous boards and commissions. Pat was instrumental in engaging the bank with After School Matters, a non-profit organization founded in 1991 by former Chicago First Lady Maggie Daley that offers Chicago high school teens innovative out-of-school opportunities to explore and develop their talents in the arts, communications, science, sports and technology, while gaining critical skills for work, college and beyond.

She is fondly remembered and well respected for her diplomacy, fairness and tenacity as well as her stylish fashion sense. Many colleagues and friends at the bank and within city and state governments, public and private corporations and community organizations praised her encouragement and career support for female professionals.

In celebration of Pat?s love of the arts and her immense interest in programs that enable Chicago youth to explore and develop their creative talents, memorial contributions may be made in her name to After School Matters, 66 East Randolph Street, Chicago, IL 60601. Family and friends also wish to thank her dedicated and supportive medical care team at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.