PEOPLES AND PLACES
GFOA Recognizes Excellence in
Financial Reporting
In Illinois, 25 park districts and forest preserves, plus the Park District Risk
Management Agency received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, a national award established by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) in 1945 to recognize and
encourage financial reporting by state and local governments. The attainment of a Certificate of Achievement represents a significant accomplishment for a government and its management. The following Illinois
agencies earned a Certificate of Achievement for comprehensive annual
financial reports with fiscal years ending in 1997.
Addison Park District
Arlington Heights Park District
Champaign Park District
DeKalb Park District
Des Plaines Park District
Downers Grove Park District
DuPage County Forest Preserve District
Highland Park, Park District of
Homewood-Flossmoor Park District
LaGrange Park District
Lake County Forest Preserve District
Lisle Park District
Monon Grove Park District
Naperville Park District
Northbrook Park District
Oak Brook Park District
Park District Risk Management Agency
Park Ridge Recreation and Park District
Rockford Park District
Skokie Park District
Vernon Hills Park District
Wheaton Park District
Will County Forest Preserve District
Winnebago County Forest Preserve District
Zion Park District
Julie Bruns joins Elmhurst Park District as Human Resource Coordinator, responsible for employee relations and implementing policies and
procedures. For the past two years she served as Human Resource Manager at Guardian Industries in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. She was responsible for
creating a non-subjective performance review, orientation packets and
policies and procedures to improve efficiency within the company. She
earned a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resource Management from Lewis
University and a Master of Arts in Political and Justice Studies from
Governor's State University.
Comerio Named IAPD
Development Director
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John W. Comerio, CLP, the Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) since 1991 and a 30-year
veteran of state government, joins the Illinois Association of Park Districts as development director effective June 1. In this newly
created position, Comerio will be responsible for three key areas: 1) providing technical assistance, grant writing and founda-
tion development for IAPD member agencies; 2) managing the Friends
of Illinois Parks program, a nonprofit organization designed to involve
more citizens in the parks and recreation field as well as fostering new
partnerships with corporations and other nonprofit organizations, and
3) directing the association's research program including establishing a
research endowment.
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Comerio has 20 years of experience in Illinois state government as a
senior level executive involved in conservation, environment and natural resources programs and policies. He started with the Department of
Conservation in 1970 in the Bureau of Planning and Development
and became the director of that office in 1984. As deputy director of
the IDNR for the past 8 years, his responsibilities included budget
management, legislation, public relations and conservation.
Comerio earned a bachelor's degree in Recreation and a master's degree in Park Administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign. Among his professional appointments, he currently serves
on the Great Lakes Commission, the IAPD Research Advisory Council
and the University of Illinois Leisure Studies Alumni Advisory Board.
Bemadette Ciardullo has joined the Bolingbrook Park District as
Food and Beverage Manager. She has more than 20 years experience in
the food service industry including manager of an Italian deli and cafe;
food service manager for an international company that supplies meals to
the major airlines; director of food operations for a major hotel; and owner/
operator other own catering business. Ciardullo will be responsible for
the operation of the Tenth Hole Pub at Boughton Ridge Golf Course.
Linda Blight joins the Elmhurst Park District as Registration Office
Manager, responsible for program registration for the district. Previously,
she worked for InTech Direct, where she designed its Human Resource
Department. Blight has a Bachelor of Science in Park Administration
from Utah State University widi an Associate of Arts from Triton College.
Mary Wagner was hired as Program Manager for the Elmhurst Park
District, responsible for the development and management of Recreation
Station, special events, camps and teen programs. Since March of 1998,
Wagner worked part-time for Elmhurst assisting all program managers
and the director of recreation. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in
Parks and Recreation from Illinois State University with a minor in Business Administration.
May/June 1999 /49
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Shelly Williams has been named Inclusion Manager at the Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation (MNASR). A graduate of Indiana University, Williams previously
held a position with the South Suburban Recreation Association as well as extensive experience in the Rehabilitation Institute of
Chicago's adapted sports program. At
MNASR she will oversee the inclusion process through consultation and training of staff,
partner park districts and villages and supervision of inclusion companions.
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Angela Ferrentino was hired as Program Manager, responsible for
preparation and coordination of pools, gymnastics, inclusion and scheduling of athletic fields/activities. Before this promotion, she was the program manager for camps, inclusion, special events, teens and select sports
programs. Prior to that, she was the assistant program manager for the
district. Ferrentino earned a Bachelor of Science in Recreation from Southern Illinois University and is a Certified Recreation Therapist.
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Sarah Vander Roest joins the staff of
the Maine-Niles Association of Special Recreation (MNASR) as a Recreation Specialist. A
graduate of Grand Valley State University in
Michigan with a degree in Therapeutic Recreation, Vander Roest has done extensive work
in both clinical and community therapeutic
recreation. Previously, she was employed as a
therapeutic recreation specialist at Brentwood
North Nursing and Rehab in Riverwoods. In
her new position, Vander Roest will program
for adults with physical impairments, lead various MNASR activities and
assist in starting an adaptive sports program for adults and children.
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Brenda James was named as the Special
Events Coordinator for the Champaign Park
District. James will program, supervise, and
evaluate the district's special events. James has
been with the district for six years, most recently as the Douglass Community Center
Director. She has a bachelor s degree from the
University of Illinois in Biology.
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Tony Oligny-Estill was named the
Youth Sports Program Coordinator for the
Champaign Park District. Oligney-Estill will
program, supervise, and evaluate the district's
youth sports programs. Previously, he was a
graduate assistant for the University of Illinois' Division of Campus Recreation. He
earned a bachelor's degree in finance from
North Central College and a master's degree
in Leisure Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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Erika Smith joined the St. Charles Park District as Supervisor of Marketing and Corporate Support. Previously, she was the Public Information Coordinator at the Hanover Park Park District. Smith is co-chair of
the Workshops Committee for IPRA's Communications & Marketing
Section and a member of the Joint Public Awareness Committee. She is a
graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and a master s degree in Sports Administration.
50/ Illinois Parks and Recreation
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In Memoriam - Stephen H. Carpenter
Stephen H. Carpenter, former Executive Director of the Quincy
Park District, passed away on Thursday, April 8,1999, after a
14-month battle with cancer. Carpenter, 55, had resigned in
October of 1998 after serving five years as director.
Carpenter had been the director of State Parks and Forests in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts before coming to Quincy.
He had spent 20 of his last 27 years as a park and recreation
administrator in Ohio and Illinois. Carpenter was the recipient
of several state and national awards and received recognition for
professional management, leadership and park resource development.
Current board president Thomas Enst said: "It was Steve's
level of experience and expertise that led to his selection five
years ago. He brought to the board the idea of renovating one
park a year and did the planning and design work himself. He
was the consummate professional and always did it the right
way."
Butch Gray, president of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce said: "I think the greatest tribute to Steve was on the
front page of the Quincy Herald Whig awhile ago, when a survey indicated that Quincy's parks were considered by the citizens of this community to be our greatest asset."
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In Memoriam - Donald F. Bresnan
Honored Champaign Park District commissioner Donald F. Bresnan, 77, died at
7:18 p.m. on Friday, March 19, at Provena
Covenant Medical Center, Urbana.
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Mr. Bresnan was elected to Champaign's
park board in 1963 and served its citizens
with remarkable ability for 36 years. His
wisdom and leadership set nationwide standards in the parks and recreation field.
"He was very demanding that our parks
be the best," said Champaign Park District
General Manager Robert Toalson.
Mr. Bresnan's determination was the driving force behind the
growth and development of the Champaign Park District from
an ordinary collection of undistinguished playgrounds with few
recreational facilities to its present peak among the best in the
nation. The district earned the National Gold Medal award three
rimes under Mr. Bresnan's tenure on the Board.
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Toalson said one of Bresnan's most notable achievements was
his successful agreements between the park and school districts
for joint use of facilities.
"He was very good and conscientious about all the financial
aspects of the district, a teacher of everyone in that regard," said
Newton Dodds, president of the district.
In 1984, the park district renamed its administrative offices in
honor of Mr. Bresnan's service to the district, the community, and
parks and recreation nationally.
Bresnan served as president of the Illinois Association of Park
Districts (1969-70) and of the Citizen Board Member Branch of
the National Park and Recreation Association (1978). In addition, he was a board member of the National Park and Recreation
Association Board of Trustees. He was recently named a life trustee
of that board in recognition of his distinguished services.
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Holly Kulas was hired as a Recreation Specialist by the West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA) to plan, implement
and supervise 7 to 9 weekly recreation programs. She has a background in working with individuals of all ages who have disabilities
and is a graduate of Central Michigan University.
John W. Wilson, CLP is the Parks and Recreation Director for the Lan-Oak Park District in Lansing, 111. A 23-year veteran in the
field, Wilson is a graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor
of Science in Parks and Recreation Administration. Previously, he
served as the superintendent/interim director of the Park District of
LaGrange; director of parks and recreation of the Chicago Ridge
and Grayslake park districts and the recreation planner/superintendent of parks for the city of Danville, 111. He has been active in IPRA
committees, most notably on the Exhibit Subcommittee of the IPRA
May/June 1999 /51