Gov. James R. Thompson appointed Illinois Inspector General Jeremy D. Margolis to the state's top law enforcement post May 1. As director of the Department of State Police, Margolis will be paid an annual salary of $62,700.

Margolis was the state's first inspector general, having served in the position since its creation by executive order in October 1984. In this role, he helped revamp and streamline nursing home regulation while conducting aggressive enforcement of health standards in nursing homes. He oversaw the governor's child safety program KIDS and established the statewide Child Exploitation Task Force. He supervised I-SEARCH, the nation's leading missing child clearinghouse and has served as coordinator of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Prior to his appointment as inspector general, Margolis served nine years as assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. He was involved in the investigation of serial killer Alton Coleman, coordinated investigations of terrorist activities in the district, including those of FALN, and successfully prosecuted James Lewis, a prime suspect in the Chicago Tylenol poisoning case. His most prominent case involved gambling kingpin Ken Eto, whom Margolis convinced to testify against organized crime figures.

Margolis succeeds James Zagel, who was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in April as a U.S. district judge for the Northern District of Illinois. Zagel joined the Thompson administration in 1977 as executive director of the Illinois Law Enforcement Commission. In 1979, he assumed the directorship of the Illinois Department of Revenue, then moved in 1980 to director of the Department of Law Enforcement, which was later renamed the Department of State Police.

Retired Brigadier Gen. John Johnston was tabbed by Gov. James R. Thompson in April as director of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Chicago attorney James D. Rosas was appointed the agency's assistant director. Johnston succeeds Dave Hardwick, who resigned in November; Rosas fills a vacancy created by Thomas Jones' resignation last July.

Johnston, a decorated veteran of Korea, was promoted to brigadier general upon his retirement from the military in 1984. After that, he worked as operations officer for the Illinois Emergency Services and Disaster Agency. Rosas was a lawyer-administrator in the Chicago Police Department's professional standards unit from 1979 to 1985 and an assistant state's attorney for Cook County from 1975 to 1977. A Vietnam veteran, Rosas served in the U.S. Army from 1965 to 1968. Both men's appointments must be confirmed by the Senate. Johnston's annual salary is $50,682 and Rosas' is $44,935.

David Knox, who had served as acting director since Hardwick left, remains as deputy director of veterans affairs, a post he has held since 1985, at an annual salary of $61,800.

The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) certified 14 new board members in May after elections were conducted by mail in March among CUB members. The CUB board determines the policy and direction of the consumer organization which advocates "fair and affordable utility rates." Its directors also represent CUB at speaking engagements and public events. One board member is elected by dues-paying members in each of Illinois' 22 congressional districts. Directors receive no salary.

Newly certified members, by district, include: District 2—Theresa Marzullo of Chicago, legal secretary, Balanoff & Associates; District 3 —Mike Griffin of Chicago, law student, Loyola University; District 4 — Roy Davis of Manhattan, inspector, Caterpillar Tractor Co., and secretary-treasurer. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Local 851; District 6 — John Cole of Elmhurst, attorney and president, John Steven Cole & Associates; District 8 — Maureen Hellwig of Chicago, urban planner, Center for Neighborhood Technology; District 10 — Michael Brickley of Mount Prospect, credit analyst, Motorla Corp.; District 12 — David Niemeyer of Harvard, assistant to the mayor of Harvard; District 14 — Arthur Bruce Markwalter of Sheridan, teacher, Illinois Valley Community College; District 16 — Stephen Eytalis of Rockford, biology professor, Rock Valley College; District 18 — Jane Brayton of Peoria Heights, drapery shop owner; District 19 — Bernard Puglisi of Champaign, attorney; District 20 — Sam Cahnman of Springfield, attorney; and District 22 — Larry Reummler of Mount Vernon, directing attorney. Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation.

CUB offices are in Chicago at 108 N. State St., 60602; telephone (312) 263-4282.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has admitted the Prairie State Games into its State Games Support Program, making it the first statewide amateur athletic festival to receive committee recognition. Robert B. Shapiro, chairman and chief executive officer of the Skokie-based NutraSweet Company and past recipient of the John R. Miller Award as the outstanding corporate marketing executive in the U.S., is honorary chairman of the fourth annual Prairie State Games. Illinois Bell, Burger King, the NutraSweet Company, Illinois State Lottery, Illinois Office of Tourism and the Kemper Group are all major sponsors for the 1987 games, which began regional competition May 2. The finals will take place July 15-18.

With the support of the major sponsors and more than 200 other Illinois-based companies, finalists are provided with free housing, meals and a full range of other services in an "Olympic Village" setting on the campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. The Prairie State Games, with competition held in 17 different sports, is a program of the Governor's Council on Health and Physical Fitness.

In addition to Illinois, only six other state games are scheduled to be recognized by the Olympic committee: Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Maryland, Montana and Oregon.

Brent Bohlen of Springfield, freelance writer and former legal counsel for the Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois; William J. Engelman of Raymond, a farmer; and John M. Picken of Rockford, president of Picken Incorporated, were named to the five-member Property Tax Appeal Board in April by Gov. Thompson. The appeal board hears complaints from taxpayers who are dissatisfied with either the initial assessment of their property and/or the decision of their county board of review concerning that assessment.

Engleman was reappointed to the board and Bohlen and Picken fill existing vacancies. Bohlen's term expires in January 1989; Picken's in January 1991 and Engelman's in January 1993. The appointments were effective immediately, pay $26,125 annually and require Senate confirmation.

A stronger climate and meteorology research program is the result of a recent reorganization at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS) in Champaign. The climate information unit was merged with the climate and meteorology section in early spring after an evaluation indicated that the unit's research efforts could be enhanced by integrating them with the section's broader research program. The major addition to the climate and meteorology section from the merger is the refurbishing and testing of the CHILL radar system which will help survey investigators study the development and evolution of precipitation in the Midwest.

Section head Peter J. Lamb continues in that post; unit staff have been reassigned to the climate and meteorology section's various program areas. Wayne Wendland, state climatologist, and Audrey Bryan, ISWS weather observer, were assigned to the office of survey chief Richard Semonin. Wendland will be responsible for the provision of general climate information to the public and the media. The water survey is a division of the Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources.

5th District Appellate Court

•Retirement: Charles E. Jones of McLeansboro, a judicial officer since 1954, effective April 30.

Cook County Circuit Court

• Appointment as presiding judge of the First Municipal District: Donald P. O'Connell of Riverside by Chief Judge Harry G. Comerford.

• Retirement: Associate Judge Chauncey Eskridge of Chicago, a judicial officer since 1979, effective June 30.

4th Judicial Circuit

• Reappointed chief judge by fellow circuit judges: Ronald A. Niemann of Hillsboro.

• Retirements: Associate judges Don E. Beane of Taylorville, a judge since 1975, and Richard G. Hodson, a judge since 1979, both effective June 30.

7th Judicial Circuit

• Retirements: Associate judges John B. Crain of Springfield, a judicial officer since 1979, and James P. Fox of Springfield, a judge since 1982, both effective June 30.

11th Judicial Circuit

• Appointment to circuit judge: McLean County State's Atty. Ronald C. Dozier of Bloomington by the Illinois Supreme Court, effective May 1, to fill the vacancy created by the election of James Knecht to the 4th District Appellate Court.

14th Judicial Circuit

• Retirement: Associate judge John B. Cunningham of Rock Island, a judicial officer since 1959, effective June 30.

18th Judicial Circuit

• Retirements: Associate judges Charles W. Spencer of Wheaton, a judge since 1975, and Duane G. Walter of Bloomingdale, a judge since 1977, both effective June 30.

The acting director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts has partially completed the tabulation of the downstate circuit judges' ballots for reappointment of the state's associate judges. The results from the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 12th, 13th and 17th through 21st circuits on the balloting for reappointment show that, of 110 associate judges seeking reappointment, 106 were reappointed to four-year terms commencing July 1. Four failed to be retained.

The results from the 10 other downstate circuits and Cook County will be announced later.

Jay R. Hedges, Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) director, announced the appointment of Nan K. Hendrickson of Springfield as the agency's associate director for administration, effective in May. A state employee since 1971, Hendrickson joins DCCA following five years at the Illinois Department of Revenue, where she served as deputy director for public policy. She previously held administrative posts at the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and the Department of Public Aid. Hendrickson also serves on the Illinois Arbitration Board for Chrysler Corporation.

Thomas R. Lamont of Springfield, former director of civil litigation in the Attorney General's Office, was named a partner in the Chicago law firm of Gordon & Glickson, P.C. in April. He will head the firm's new Springfield office which is to serve legislative and government affairs clients. Lamont joined the Attorney General's Office in Springfield in 1984, where he supervised 28 attorneys and support staff. From 1980 to 1983, he was a partner in the law firm of Webb and Lamont. Before that, he served as executive director of the State's Attorney Appellate Service Commission, managing legislative activities before House and Senate judiciary committees. Lamont's other government service has included stints as senior legal adviser to the state's Capital Development Board and legal counsel to the House Democratic staff. He began his extensive governmental career as staff attorney for the Illinois Legislative Reference Bureau where he drafted proposed legislation.

The appointment of James S. Kahn as president and director of Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry was announced in April by James F. Bere, chairman of the museum's board of trustees. Kahn assumes his new position July 1, succeeding Victor J. Danilov, who retired April 1. Kahn, associated with California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for 25 years, was selected in a nationwide search to head the world's largest museum of contemporary science and technology. Prior to accepting the post in Chicago, he served as Livermore's associate director-at-large. Livermore Laboratory is managed by the University of California.

Officials at John Marshall Law School in Chicago capped a six-month search for a new dean by naming Peter J. McGovern to the post. The former Floridian was dean of Miami's St. Thomas University School of Law and previously served as dean of Valparaiso University School of Law in Indiana. He assumed his duties July 1.

McGovern, who was one of an initial national field of 27 applicants who were interviewed, was the search committee's unanimous selection. He earned a bachelor's degree from Notre Dame University and a law degree from Fordham University School of Law. He also earned the LL.M. Equivalent from the Judge Advocate General's School while in the Navy and an education degree from the University of South Dakota.

McGovern replaced Leonard Jay Schrager who resigned in October 1986 after four years in the post.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Seymour Simon was awarded the John Marshall Law School Alumni Association 1987 Freedom Award in May at the association's annual Distinguished Service Awards Luncheon at Chicago's Palmer House.

Six alumni were also honored with distinguished service awards for their outstanding contributions to the community, the law school and the bar: Ellen C. Craig, deputy chief of staff. Office of the Governor; Winn C. Davidson, founder, president and chief executive officer. Bank of Falatine; Thomas R. Fitzgerald, supervising judge. 1st Municipal District traffic court. Cook County Circuit Court: Susan C. Haddad, president. Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Michael J. Hennessy, treasurer. Illinois State Bar Association, and past president, West Suburban Bar Association; and Warren Lupel, partner with Solomon, Rosenfeld & Stiefel Ltd.

A 1983 graduate of Northwestern University School of Law, Simon practiced law for nearly 30 years in Chicago. He was elected to the Illinois State Supreme Court in 1980 following a six-year tenure on the Illinois Appellate Court. A 40th Ward alderman in Chicago for 14 years, Simon has also served as president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and as a commissioner on Chicago's Public Building Commission.

Arthur Sinden of Rockford won the 1988 Migratory Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest in April with a painting of a common goldeneye drake and hen flying over the snow-lined Rock River. Sinden's work, which was one of over 69 entries in the annual Department of Conservation contest, will be featured on the 1988 Illinois Waterfowl Stamp. The artist received $1,000, plus 50 artist's proofs of the work.

Fran Wheeler of Hampton placed second in the competition, followed by Clifton Rutledge of Marion, third; Fred Dreger of Willow Springs, fourth; and Dave Gooden of Herrin, fifth. Runners-up received cash awards of $100, $75, $50 and $25 respectively.

This marks Sinden's third win in the contest. His depiction of a black duck appeared on the 1982 stamp and his painting of a gadwall on the 1986 stamp. Sinden finished second in the 1984 and 1985 contests and third in 1977 and 1981.

Saul J. Morse, a Springfield attorney, won the Illinois State Medical Society's (ISMS) Special Chairman's Award at the group's annual House of Delegates meeting in Rosemont. House Republican Leader Lee A. Daniels 46, Elmhurst) and Earl Stockdale, M.D., received public service awards from the 17,000 member organization.

Morse, who has served as ISMS legislative counsel for over 10 years, was honored for his "good sense" approach to finding remedies for health-related public policy problems. He drafted the ISMS-backed medical malpractice reform legislation passed in 1985 and later participated in its defense before the Illinois Supreme Court. Morse also serves on the Illinois Human Rights Commission.

Daniels, best known to Illinois physicians for his role as chief advocate for malpractice reform, was honored for his dedication to legislation promoting the public health and quality health care for Illinois patients.

Stockdale, a Rock Island pediatrician, founded a rotating referral service in his area for indigent patients who need free medical service and he has been active in promoting school immunization programs.

In April, Gordon H. Smith of Lake Forest, community leader and past president of United Way of Illinois, received the Alexis de Tocqueville Award, United Way's highest tribute to a volunteer. The award was presented by actor Gregory Peck at a special ceremony during the annual national United Way Volunteer Leaders Conference held in Washington, D.C. Smith, of counsel in the law firm Gardner, Carton & Douglas, has been a United Way volunteer for 25 years.