Anthony A. Olis
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Anthony A. Olis (June 3, 1898 – August 25, 1958) was a Lithuanian American attorney and activist. He was the president of the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago from 1950 to his death.
Anthony A. Olis | |
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Born | (1898-08-25)August 25, 1898 Chicago, United States |
Died | June 3, 1958(1958-06-03) (aged 59) Chicago, United States |
Other names | Anton A. Olis[1] Antanas Olis[2] |
Alma mater | University of Chicago Law School |
Occupation(s) | Attorney, activist |
Parent |
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Born into a family of Lithuanian entrepreneur Antanas Olšauskas, Olis studied law at the University of Chicago Law School and worked as an attorney. As a member of the Republican Party, he was elected to the board of the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago in 1946. In 1956, Chicago American praised Olis' leadership as the sanitary district reduced costs and local taxes while expanding service area and serving more people. Olis campaigned for increased water diversion from Lake Michigan into the Illinois Waterway, though such legislation was twice vetoed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Olis was active in the Lithuania American cultural and political life. He was a member of the Lithuanian Birutė Choir and organized various Lithuanian events, particularly concerts of classical music. In 1934, Olis was a conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra which performed Lithuanian music at the Century of Progress (Chicago World's Fair). Politically, Olis was a member of the nationalist (tautininkai) camp. After the Soviet occupation of Lithuania in June 1940, he used his connections in the Republican Party to publicize the issue of the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states and advocate for continued non-recognition of the occupation. Olis was chairman or vice-chairman of several Lithuanian American political organizations, including the American Lithuanian Council [lt].