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Kathleen Cassens, Director of Planning and Development for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, and Sandra Whitmore, Superintendent of Leisure Services, Northbrook Park District, were recently elected to membership in the Ameri-can Academy for Park and Recreation Administration.
The Academy is comprised of 125 practitioners and educators who have advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks. Members of the Academy encourage scholarly efforts to enhance the practice of park and recreation administration and promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good. The Academy conducts research, publishes scholarly papers and sponsors seminars related to the advancement of the field.
Kathleen and Sandra's election brings Illinois' representation to 17, thus leading all other states with practitioners and educators and members of the Academy.

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Ronald H. Dodd was recognized by his alma mater with the Luther college Distinguished Service Award for his service to the college and the church, contributions to his community, and accomplishments in professional and personal life. Dodd is the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Joliet Park District and has been an adjunct faculty member of the department of recreation administration at St. Francis College, Joliet, since 1992. A 1964 Luther graduate, he earned the Master of Science Degree at the University of Illinois-Champaign in 1975. Dodd has worked for the Chicago Park District, Dallas Park and Recreation Department, and Park Ridge Recreation & Park District. He is a past president of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the American Park Recreation Society, and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association.

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The Collinsville Area Recreation District has appointed Mark E. Badasch to the position of Executive Director. Badasch is a graduate of Indiana State University with a B.S. in Recreation. With more than 20 years of experience in recreation and park management, Badasch has worked for the Clark County Park District, Pekin Park District and Roxana Community Park District.

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Sixteen Rockford Park District staff were honored by their peers for exceptional job performance, outstanding innovation, creativity on the job, and/or notable service to the District's staff, community or citizens. They include:
Adale Buck and Karen Biever in the management category. Buck negotiated a favorable agreement on the District's communications tower and Biever assumed new responsibilities with the Rockford Park District Foundation.
Dena Sanford in the office and technical category for her organization and dedication in the accounting department.
Mark Rohrer in the maintenance category for his supervisory skills in running the Sinnissippi greenhouse and gardens area.
Joe Corl and Salvador Hernandez in the seasonal category. Corl was honored for his extra effort in helping a child with disabilities enjoy water slides. Hernandez was honored for his dedication with the horticulture crew.
Tom Roderick, Donna Wanke, Curt Johnsen, Wayne Bakke, John Percell, Jody Roby, Reid Tennant, Kimm Adams, Al Miller, and Charlie Fry were honored for their behind-the-scenes work for the district's Corporate Cup Spirit Competition.

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The law firm of James, Brooks, Adams & Tarulis has announced that Bruce Edward Garner, formerly with Botti, Marcinaccio & Tameling, Ltd., has become associated with the firm. Gamer will engage in civil litigation.

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Thompson Dyke & Associates, Ltd., announces the association of Bradley V. Swanson and R. Gordon Leedy, Jr., ASLA. Swanson is a landscape designer and recent graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana with a Bachelor's Degree in Landscape Architecture. He is in the land planning division of the firm, which specializes in land planning, landscape architecture and real estate consulting.
Leedy consults in the land planning, golf course architecture, park planning and landscape architectural disciplines of the firm. Gordon brings with him over fifteen years of experience in landscape architecture, land planning and golf course architecture.

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The Illinois Park Law Enforcement Association has announced the new officers and directors for 1995:
President: Sgt. Harry E. Carlile, Jr., Peoria Park District
Vice President: Chief Tom Schultz, McHenry County Conservation District
Treasurer: Lt. Richard Haake, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Secretary: Officer Melissa McCain, McHenry County Conservation District
Officers: Dr. Bruce Wicks, University of Illinois, Chief Larry Closson, Illinois Department of Conservation, Chief John Long, Dolton Park District, Chief Pete Reiner, Zion Park District, and Superintendent Tom Beck, Forest Preserve District of Will County.

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54 * Illinois Parks & Recreation * November/December 1994

Michelle Meadows has been appointed Public Relations/ Marketing Supervisor for the Northbrook Park District. She will play a major role in researching community needs and developing strategies for disseminating park district information. Formerly employed by the City of Dallas Parks and Recreation Department, Meadows will coordinate the flow of information from the business community to the park district.
Also joining the Northbrook Park District staff is Aaron Quisenberry, Recreation Supervisor. He will coordinate the Youth Flag Football and Basketball programs, the Men's Basketball Leagues and the Summer Day Camps. Quisenberry graduated from Kansas University and trained with several youth sports programs. He most recently worked in Northfield, Illinois and Decatur, Michigan.

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Elmhurst Park District has announced two staff promotions. Don Chapman is the new Manager of Courts Plus health, sports and fitness center. Chapman is a former physical education teacher and has 11 years of managerial experience at area fitness and sports centers. He has a Master's Degree in Physical Education from Northern Illinois University.
Craig Maiorana is the new Sugar Creek Golf Course Manager. He formerly owned his own landscape company in Arkansas and worked at the Chanute Air Force Base golf course. Maiorana has a Bachelor's Degree in Business and Agriculture from Eastern Illinois University.

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The Niles Park District welcomes Sandy Dixon as their new Recreation Program Supervisor. Dixon has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation from Southern Illinois University and five years of programming experience. Her primary areas of responsibility will include preschool, summer camps, special events, trips, dance, crafts and general programs.

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Jocelyn M. Whitfield has joined the Streamwood Park District staff as Facility Coordinator at the District's Hoosier Grove Bam. She is responsible for marketing the facility, developing programming for residents and supervising special events held at the 100-year-old barn. Whitfield, a communications graduate of Loyola University of Chicago, has more than 10 years experience in the marketing field and has worked for Allied Buying Corporation in Chicago, A.B. Dick Company, and the U.S. Navy Recreation Command at Great Lakes Training Center.

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Carol Keithly has been named Superintendent of Human Resources for the Peoria Park District. She has worked as the Human Resources Manager for the district since 1987 and, as Superintendent, will administer all aspects of the Human Resources Division including acting as Affirmative Action Officer. Keithly holds a Master's Degree in Counseling and Human Development Services and a Bachelor's Degree in English. She has served as a part-time faculty member in Psychology at Illinois Central College and worked earlier at Bradley University and First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Peoria.
John E. South has been appointed to the Peoria Park District Board of Trustees, filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Troy E. French. A graduate of East St. Louis Bible College, South is a Keokuk, Iowa native and has resided in Peoria for over 30 years. He is Associate Minister of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, employed by Interstate Brands Corporation, and active in various community and social organizations.

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The Champaign Park District recently appointed Randy Barnhart to the position of Tennis Program and Facility Supervisor. He will be responsible for the indoor tennis facility and outdoor tennis program. Barnhart has been with the Park District since 1990.
Kerry Lupher has been added to the Champaign's marketing department. Formerly an administrative assistant for the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce and graduate of Millikin University, Lupher will be responsible for promoting and marketing park district programs.
Dan K. Hibbler is Champaign's new Director of Recreation. Hibbler has worked for the Chicago Park District and the Bloomington, Indiana Park and Recreation Department. He has a Parks and Recreation degree from Western Illinois University and a Master's Degree in Parks and Recreation from Indiana University.

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Rita Trainor is the Elmhurst Park District's new Director of Business Services. Prior to her appointment, she served as Financial Manager to the Elmhurst Park District Board Commissioners for several months. For the past 10 years, Trainor worked for Centel (Spring) Corporation in Chicago and has also worked for Coopers and Lybrand accounting firm in Chicago. Trainor is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Management Accountant. Her degrees include a B.S. in Accounting and BusinessAdministration and M.S. in Accounting from Illinois State University.

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Illinois Parks & Recreation * November/December 1994 * 55

After twenty-four years of service, Don Wirth, Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry for the city of Evanston, has announced his retirement effective March 1,1995. Wirth is the third Director in the history of the City.

Prior to his career in Evanston, Wirth served as Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Brookfield, Wisconsin for eight years, from 1962-1970.

Among Wirth's accomplishments in Evanston: construction of two new community centers; construction of an ice arena; development of a community theatre; major additions to two community centers; development or redevelopment of most of the nearly 80 parks in the city; development of a district park; redevelopment of two other district parks; construction of an ecology center and completing development of an arboretum; adaptation of an elementary school into a cultural arts center; completion of lakefront master plan that included construction of a full-service beach; rehab of the lagoon and lagoon park building; construction of a beach building; development of a power boat facility and parking lot; and rehabilitation of two lakefront park buildings.

Programs developed or expanded during Wirth's tenure included school-based after-school and night programs; free recreation and arts programs in parks; programs for special populations; sports and social programs for all ages in the community centers.

Wirth will continue to serve the City on a consultant basis, in addition to exploring opportunities in the private sector.

City Manager Eric Anderson named Richard Grodsky, current Superintendent of Recreation, as Wirth's replacement. Grodsky will oversee a department budget of approximately $6,000,000 which includes maintenance of 28,000 parkway trees and over 80 parks totalling more than 280 acres; a complete recreation program; an ecology center; the Noyes Cultural Arts Center; four recreation centers; total lakefront operations and numerous other facilities and services.

Grodsky has been in the field since graduating from the University of Illinois in 1977. He has held positions at various park districts, including the Park Ridge, Morton Grove, Dundee Township and Chicago park districts. *

56 * Illinois Parks & Recreation * November/December 1994

Forest Preserve District of Cook County Receives National Conservation Award The Nature Conservancy, an international conservation organization with 780,000 members nationwide, has presented a 1994 President's Conservation Achievement Award to the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Forest Preserve District General Superintendent Joseph N. Nevius accepted the award at the Conservancy's annual meeting in Tuscson this fall. In presenting the award. Conservancy President John Sawhill praised the District's ambitious effort in developing its first comprehensive restoration and management plan for 54,000 acres of forest preserves in Cook County. Thanks to the natural wealth found in these publicly-owned preserves. Cook County is "a land of both skyscrapers and tallgrass prairie," according to Sawhill. The ecological restoration and management plan is part of a landmark agreement between the Forest Preserve District, The Nature Conservancy, USDA Forest Service, USDA Soil Conservation Service and Illinois Department of Conservation. The agreement also commits the partners to conducting pilot restoration projects, the first of which is underway at Swallow Cliff Woods in the Palos Forest Preserves. Sawhill also noted that the historic effort "...builds on the existing legacy of partnership between our two organizations. The District already provides substantial training and support to the Volunteer Stewardship Network and is a partner in the Might Acoms youth stewardship project." The President's Conservation Achievement Award recognizes exceptional support by individuals or organizations that have worked in partnership to advance biodiversity protection. A science-based organization, the Conservancy seeks to preserve rare plants, animals and natural communities by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. Six President's Awards were presented this year to recipients from as far away as British Columbia and Brazil. This is the first time a President's Award recognizes an Illinois entry. "This belongs not just to the Forest Preserve District," Nevius said upon receiving the award. "Most importantly the award belongs to future generations who will be able to live in a world rich in biodiversity. Our restoration efforts will have positive, long-term implications for the region's ecosystem." The Forest Preserve District's ultimate goal is to restore and return to a natural, pre-settlement state 80 percent of its land. The District currently manages more than 67,000 acres of land throughout Cook County, making it one of the largest urban open space providers in the nation. •••

1994 Gold Medal Awards Winners Front Row (left to right) Vern Hartenburg, Class I — Cleveland Metro Park District, Ohio; Bonnie Noble, Class II — Peoria Park District, Illinois; James Gorges, Class III — Kettering, Ohio; Burton Hall, Class IV — Rockville, Maryland; Steven Baysinger, Class V — Louisville, Colorado. Back Row (left to right) Walter Johnson, NRPA Staff Liaison; Dr. Ted Flickinger, Senior Judge, Illinois Association of Park Districts; Cynthia Guzi, Class II — Special Recreation, Sterling Heights, Michigan; Duane Brackenbury, NSGA Board of Directors, Omaha, Nebraska.

Illinois Parks & Recreation * November/December 1994 * 57