PEOPLE AND PLACES

Lehman Named Great Lakes Board Member of the Year

Ronald D. Lehman, cornmissioner of the Channahon Park District, was named the 1997 National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Great Lakes Region Citizen Board Member of the Year. Lehman has served as an elected commissioner since 1971, marking his 25th consecutive year of service for the Channahon Park District. He led the drive for the district's plans to build a golf course, which culminated in the development of Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club. The course was named by national publications as one of the ten best courses to open in the country in 1993-1994, as well as among the top 75 best affordable courses in America. The Channahon Park District is currently nominated as a National Gold Medal Award finalist for the second year.

Ron Lehman receives NRPA's Great Lakes Board Member of the Year award from Great lakes choir, Phyllis Cossarek (left) Wilmette, Ill., and Fran Mainella (right), NRPA president and director of Florida Stale Parks.

Lehmann is a past president of the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) and received LAPD's highest honor, the Allen A. Weissburg Commissioner of the Year Award in 1993. At the national level, he is a member of the NRPA board of trustees as well as a member of the NRPA Great Lakes Regional Council. He serves as the chairman of the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission, the governing body for the nation's first national heritage corridor under the National Park Service. The NRPA Great Lakes Region is comprised of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Missouri.

Hawker Takes Home the Bronze

T.J. Hawker of Naperville earned a bronze medal in the Class I thrower division at the International Boccia Tournament World Games held in Nottingham, England, this past July. After several months of practices, Hawker traveled to England with coach Craig Culp, NEDSRA recreation manager; and Kathy Brinker, NEDSRA volunteer. All of Hawker's goals were met with the culmination of his first World Games: he is recognized as a world class boccia athlete, he medaled in the individual competitions, and he was exposed to international play. As a result of the 1997 World Games, this experience also gave Hawker the chance to grow as an athlete and person.

Jennifer Hill was hired as program coordinator of special event, youth and adult programming for The Community House in Hinsdale. Hill is a graduate of Illinois State University with a bachelor of science degree in Recreation Administration. She completed her internship with the Streamwood Park District.

Dean Hoskin joined the Hanover Park Park District as recreation supervisor and is responsible for youth and adult athletics, sport camps and fitness. Hoskin is a graduate of Illinois State University, where he earned a bachelors degree in Park and Recreation Administration. Previously, he was the recreation supervisor for the Calumet Memorial Park District.

Erich Held was promoted as the manager of the Niles Park District IceLand facility. Previously, Held was the Niles' assistant manager and hockey director two years. He is a graduate of Elmhurst College with a degree in Business and Recreation. He has held staff professional positions at Northbrook and Winnetka as well as facilities supervisor at Highland Park.

Kelly Norris has joined the Niles Park District as recreation program supervisor. Norris graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor of science in Recreation and Park Administration and a master of science in Physical Education. She has more than ten years of experience working at park and recreational facilities including Bloomington Park and Recreation, YMCA of Stanislaus County, Calif., and the Boys and Girls Club of Livingston County. She has also volunteered as an American Red Cross Training Instructor and a coordinator for the Centennial Olympics in Atlanta. Previously, Norris was a recreation supervisor at Mundelein Park and Recreation District.

Bronze medalist T.J. Hawker (center), NEDSRA recreation manager Craig Culp (left), and NEDSRA volunteer Kathy Blinker (right), ore all smiles at the International Boccia Tournament World Games held in Nottingham, England, in July. All three represented TEAM USA at the games.

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PEOPLE AND PLACES

Joseph LO Verde, Jr., was hired as executive director by the Niles Park District board of commissioners. LoVerde, former co-owner of Lo Verde Construction Company, Inc., has strong managerial skills and the ability to successfully bring people together.

Michael G. Clark, CLP, was named deputy director of the Bloomlngdale Park District. Formerly the was manager of golf operations at River Trails Park District; manager of revenue facilities for the Park District of Oak Park; facilities manager for Glencoe Park District and recreation supervisor for Lombard Park District. As deputy director, he is responsible for overseeing the staff and services of the recreation department as well as working on special projects. He earned a bachelor's degree in Park and Recreation Administration from Illinois State University and a master of business degree from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. He has also been active in NRPA and IPRA, for which he served as director of the Facility Section.

Matt Hahn joined the Bloomingdale Park District as athletic supervisor. Hahn will oversee all the district's athletic programs as well as act as liaison to various athletic associations. He earned a bachelors degree in Political Science from Eastern Illinois University and comes to the district with six years of prior athletic experience from the Elk Grove Park District, where he served as a part-time athletic coordinator.

Julie Selep joined the Bolingbrook Park District as its special recreation supervisor for Joliet / Bolingbrook Special Recreation Association. She has a bachelors degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Central Michigan University and is a certified therapeutic recreation specialist. She worked at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital as a therapeutic recreation specialist for three years and was with Uhlich Children's Home and Lutheran General Hospital prior to Schwab. For the past five years she has volunteered for the West Suburban Special Recreation Association.

Laura Miller joined the Elmhurst Park District as administrative assistant in June of 1997 after holding several positions in local government. Miller was most recently employed by the Chicago Board of Education as a principal budget analyst since 1995 where she was responsible for bench marking surveys, reviewing department budgets, recommending and implementing productivity improvements, and coordinating communication plans. Previously, Miller was administrative assistant to the city manager at the city of Evanston, where she coordinated the Park/Forestry and Recreation City-wide Attitude and Interest Survey and acted as the liaison between alderman and departments in request for service and information. Subsequent to receiving her undergraduate degree in English and Political Science, Miller received a masters degree in Public Administration from Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She is a member of IPRA and the International City/County Management Association.

Laura Brown was hired by the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association (WDSRA) as its superintendent of communication and development. Brown is responsible for the association's fund raising and marketing plans, and she works closely with the WDSRA Foundation to further development opportunities. Formerly of Wheaton, Brown returns to Illinois after serving as the director of therapeutic recreation at Mecklenburg County in Charlotte, N.C., for the past five years. There she was responsible for fund development, grant writing, services to residents with a disability, youth at risk and the homeless, and oversaw a staff of 15 employees. Previously, Brown was with the Northeast DuPage Special Recreation Association (NEDSRA) where she was the superintendent of recreation for seven years. Brown earned her bachelors degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the College of St. Francis in Joliet and has attended graduate school for revenue management.

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