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PEOPLE AND PLACES
Oakes Serves for 20 Years The Arlington Heights Park District celebrated "Gerry Oakes Day" on Feb. 2 of this year, marking the 20th anniversary of executive director, Gerald M. Oakes. Hired in 1981, after only 15 months as the director of the Winnetka Park District, Oakes was chosen because of his experience in running a district that was fully grown and in a maintenance mode. His first challenges were financial: making the budget work and finding funds for capital projects. Oakes inaugurated the five-year Comprehensive Plan, the hallmark of his 20-year directorship. Oakes also made sure the district was ahead of the technology curve. There's a computer on every supervisor's desk; the Web site has been viable for two years; and online registration became a reality last fall. During his 20 years at the helm, the district has twice won the National Gold Medal for Excellence in Parks and Recreation; and grown from 400 acres and 67 full-time employees to 697 acres, 100 full-time staff and up to 800 part-time and seasonal employees. Professionally he's been honored with the National Recreation and Park Association's Professional Excellence Award, the Recreation Department Alumni of the Year from Southern Illinois University; the Robert M. Artz Award and the Fellow Award from IPRA. He's a member of the Board of Regents for the Revenue Sources Management School in Wheeling, West Virginia; has served on the IPRA board as president; and chaired the Illinois Professional Development School.
Garrison Named IAPD President-elect Mary Garrison, Winnetka Park District commissioner since 1991, was elected president-elect of the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) board of directors. The term of president is a one-year commitment commencing in January of 2002. Garrison has served on the IAPD board since 1996 and has been vice-president since 1998. Owner of North Shore Trophy and Engraving, Garrison has chaired and served on many civic and community organizations. She was co-chair of the Joint Distinguished Agency Review Board for IAPD; co-chair of the 1999 IAPD/IPRA Annual Conference; an Illinois representative to the Great Lakes Regional Council; and Illinois' representative to the National Recreation and Park Association Citizen Board Member Branch.
SSPRPA Honors Community Leaders The South Suburban Park and Recreation Professional Association (SSPRPA) held its 2001 edition of Park Board Member...Community Leader Program in late-February of this year to recognize the tireless efforts of board members and legislators in the south suburban area. With more than 130 individuals in attendance, the "Commissioner of the Year" award went to Mary Ellen Levine from the Midlothian Park District and "Legislator of the Year" to Senator Patrick O'Malley. Several park board members received Service Awards, which recognize years of service to their local park and recreation agency: Martin Paliga, 26 years, Calumet Memorial Park District; Joseph T. Wilhelm, 25 years, Calumet Memorial Park District; Dennis Flanagin, 24 years, Lan-Oak Park District; Mary Lynch, 20 years, Alsip Park District; Al Traczek, 15 years, Bolingbrook Park District; Dominic Violante, 15 years, Pleasant Dale Park District; Bill Werth, 10 years, Bolingbrook Park District; James Lesnieski, 10 years, Lemont Park District; and 10 years of service for Mary Ellen Levine, Charles Granata and Dave Kroener of the Midlothian Park District. The Community Leader Program was cosponsored by the following vendors: Musco Lighting, Dave Moss; Cody-Braun & Associates, Jeffrey Braun; Henry Brothers Company, David Binkley; Melrose Pyrotechnics, Michael Cartolano; and Skotokan Karate, John DiPasquale.
Johnson Receives Bannon Practitioner Award
Walter C. Johnson (pictured right) was the recipient of the 2000 Joseph J. Bannon (center)
Practitioner Award at
the University of Illinois
Department of Leisure
Studies 35th Annual
Awards Banquet in Urbana-Champaign. The
award is presented for innovation, service, and support of the field of parks and recreation at
both the state and national levels. Rudy Nelson (left), director of the
Rolling Meadows Park District and member of the University of Illinois
Leisure Studies Advisory Board, made the presentation for Dr. Bannon.
Chicago Park District Wins Awards at Flower & Garden Show The Chicago Park District received two awards for the Hobbit's Garden at the seventh annual Flower & Garden Show held at Navy Pier in March. The district was selected by a panel of gardening experts to receive the "Governor's Award" for the best garden at the show and the "Judges Award" for the most creative garden. The Hobbit's Garden, interpreted from J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, invited visitors to step into a timeless garden and discover rare trees, herbs and foliage. The Hobbit's Garden captured the theme of this year's show "Time to Smell the Flowers" using fragrant flowers and herbs in display areas such as an herb and vegetable garden, a May/June 2001 | 49 PEOPLE AND PLACES birch woodland, a meadow, shrub beds with blooming roses and a little bubbling stream. Chicago Park District staff developed the lifelike display and expert horticulturists grew the 3,000-plus plants used for the garden at the park district's conservatories. Filling the 2,800 square-foot Hobbit's Garden was a variety of perennials, annuals, biennials, herbs, trees and shrubs. Plant varieties included Rudbeckia, Iris, Pansies, Cyclamen, Sage, Thyme, Lavender, Chamomile and Clematis. The Hobbit's Garden also featured signs with quotes from the book, lending a storybook aspect to the landscape. All of the trees, shrubs and perennials used in the show will now become part of the Conservatory's permanent collection.
Mark Yergler was promoted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to the position of
Chief Grant Administrator. Yergler is a 23-year
veteran of the department with more than 20
years experience in the Division of Grant Administration. In his new position, he will help oversee
the administration of more than $55 million of
annual outdoor recreation and public museum
grant funds to local units of government in Illinois. Yergler began his tenure with the department (formerly Department of Conservation) in 1978 as a planner in the
Division of Long Range Planning with primary responsibility for helping
develop the State's Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan. He completed a bachelor's degree and one-and-a-half years of graduate study in
Urban Planning at Western Illinois University before beginning his career
in 1974 as a planner for the Western Illinois Regional Planning Commission in Macomb.
David Sellman was promoted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to the position of Senior Grant Administrator. Except for a five month stint working as a grant administrator in the Department's Office of Federal Aid/Special Funds last year, he has worked as a Grant Administrator in the Department's Division of Grant Administration since 1988. Prior to that, he worked in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for three years. In his new position, he has primary responsibility for the department's motorized grant programs including the state funded Off-Highway Vehicle, Snowmobile Trail Establishment and Local Government Snowmobile programs and the multipurpose federal Recreational Trails program. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Springfield with a degree in History.
Donna L Wilson, director of finance and personnel for the Arlington Heights Park District, was named "Professional of the Year" by the Administration and Finance section of the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA). Nominated by park district executive director Gerald Oakes, Wilson received the honor at the January IAPD/IPRA Annual Conference in Peoria. An active member of IPRA since 1979, Wilson has served as treasurer of the Administration and Finance Section, chaired several IPRA committees, was a presenter at the annual state conference, and is chairman of the Board of Regents for the IPRA Professional Development School. Wilson was the first finance director to receive this honor. Wilson was instrumental in bringing technology to the Arlington Heights Park District. She developed the district's Internet site and made online registration a reality in fall 2000. Due to her efforts, the district has been recognized 14 times by the Government Finance Office Association for the park district's audit presentation and recently for its budget presentation.
Dana Braun joined the Glen Ellyn Park District
recreation staff as a recreation supervisor. Her responsibilities include infant/preschool programming, youth specialty classes, special events and
the dance program. Braun returned to Illinois
after her most recent employment as a youth counselor at a juvenile corrections camp in North Carolina. Previously, she worked for the Salt Creek,
Hinsdale and Northfield park districts as camp
director, preschool coordinator, facility manager
and recreation supervisor. She graduated from Carthage College in 1997
with a B.A. in Education and Psychology.
Michael McBride was promoted to superintendent of grounds of the Lombard Park District. McBride has been employed by the park district since 1995 and served as grounds foreman. Previously, he was employed by the Northbrook Park District. His responsibilities include the management and supervision of day-to-day operations of the parks department, capital improvements projects, and staff liaison with athletics affiliate groups and community events.
Sandy Johnson, CPRP, was promoted to director of recreation at the Bloomingdale Park District. She holds a B.S. degree in Recreation and Park Administration from Western Illinois University. Johnson has been employed by the district since 1995 and previously served as a recreation supervisor. She is now responsible for the
general management of the recreation department including the supervision of five full-time
staff.
Ellen Manjarrez joined the Bloomingdale Park
District as a recreation supervisor. She holds a BA
in Psychology from the University of Illinois at
Chicago. Manjarrez has worked in the parks and
recreation field for the last six years. She is responsible for managing the district's preschool program, after-school program, day-off activities and
more.
50 | Illinois Parks and Recreation PEOPLE AND PLACES
Susan Eubanks has been promoted by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to the position of senior grant administrator. She has worked
in IDNR's Division of Grant Administration for
11 years and will have primary responsibility for
the state's new Open Lands Trust program and
the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund
program. Prior to her work at IDNR, Eubanks
worked in grant administration at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.
She is a graduate of Illinois College with a degree
in Business Administration and Sociology.
Bill Sosnowski was recently promoted to superintendent of buildings of the Lombard Park District. Sosnowski has been employed by the park district since 1987 and previously served as buildings foreman. Sosnowski also has had management experiences within the private sector. His responsibilities include the day-to-day maintenance operations of various facilities as well as the supervision of construction and capital improvements projects.
Michelle Brooks has joined the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District as recreation supervisor. She graduated from Governor's State University, University Park, with a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts. Brooks' duties at Homewood-Flossmoor will focus on preschool and cultural arts programming. She has 12 years experience as an early childhood teacher and two years experience as a child-care center director. In addition, Brooks worked in a part-time capacity at South Suburban Special Recreation Association as a program leader and camp director. Brooks is a professional vocalist—specializing in classical music—and a piano instructor.
May/June 2001 | 51 PEOPLE AND PLACES Jeannie Robinson has been named recreation supervisor at the Bensenville Park District. Robinson will be responsible for tiny tot and youth programs, dance classes, Tiny Tot School, day camps, family trips and special events. Previously, Robinson was the assistant recreation manager at Akron General Lifestyles in Akron, Ohio, as well as being a recreation specialist for the City of Akron Recreation Bureau. Robinson has a B.A. in Sports.
52 | Illinois Parks and Recreation |
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