PEOPLE AND PLACES

Champaign County Forest Preserve Names New Director

Bert Gray has been hired as the new executive director for the Champaign County Forest Preserve District. He replaces John Potts, who retired in June.

Gray leaves the Oswegoland Park District where he has served as executive director for the past 23 years.

Bert is a member of NRPA and IPRA. His service to IPRA includes 17 years on the Joint Legislative Committee, Professional Development School Board of Regents and Administrative and Finance Section Director. Gray has a B.S. in leisure studies from the University of Illinois and an M.S. in business management from Aurora University.

Quincy Park District Hires New Executive Director

Mike Parks has been named the executive director of the Quincy Park District. Parks has worked for the district since 1974, beginning his career as an entry-level park laborer and progressing through the ranks. He has been a maintenance crew leader, and, for the past 19 years, he was the director of parks. He held the post of interim executive director in 1993 and in 1998-1999.

Parks has had general administrative park maintenance and planning responsibility for the district's 28 sites and 1,000 acres since 1984. He is an avid outdoorsman who is intimately familiar with Mississippi River issues, wetland preservation and environmental impacts on the community.

Grant Improves Lighting at Rockford Pools

The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation has approved an Energy Efficient Lighting Upgrade Grant award of $14,230 to the Rockford Park District for lighting improvements at its four aquatics facilities. The foundation invests in clean energy projects and those that will improve energy efficiency and environmental quality.

This fall, the Rockford Park District will replace or retrofit its old lighting system with more efficient lighting fixtures and lamps. The district anticipates savings of about $2,300 per year on electricity costs.

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Names Interim Director

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County named longtime district employee Dan Griffin as its interim executive director this spring. Griffin has a degree in park administration from Western Illinois University and has been employed by the forest preserve district for 32 years. Beginning his career as a seasonal employee in 1971, Dan has continued to work his way through the district ranks, serving as a laborer, ranger and in various supervisory positions. For the past seven years, he has served as director of operations, charged with the daily operation and maintenance of the forest preserves, facilities and natural resources.

Honored by the district's confidence in his leadership, Griffin said, "I am proud of this organization and the employees who work here. I will work hard to balance the district's mission and the citizen's desires." For his tenure, Griffin has developed a 100-day plan that involves defining the challenges that the district currently faces and the preparing organizational materials to assist his successor.

Griffin, who is scheduled to retire in October, will serve as interim executive director during the search for a permanent executive director. Since December, Richard Utt, a retired district employee had volunteered his time as interim executive director.

Oak Park Has New Community Center Director

Julie Garrigues was promoted to the position of community center director at the Park District of Oak Park. Julie has been working with Oak Park since 1994. She has been involved with teens, trips, sports, camps and general programming for many years.

As center director, Julie will be a liaison to the surrounding community as well as continue her experiences in a full-time capacity. Her all-around experience with the park district will be a great benefit to herself and the district.

46 | Illinois Parks and Recreation

PEOPLE AND PLACES

IPRA Announces Newly Certified Professionals

• Michael T. Baiardo, CPRP, Morion Grove Park District

• Dawn Duslak, APRP, Oak Lawn Park District

• Kevin Hahn, CPRP, Bartlett Park District

• Sara A. Kelly, CPRP, Gary Park District

• Donna Kuffell, APRP, Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department

• Mitchell J. Lehman, CPRP, Cary Park District

• Robert S. MacLean, CPRP, Waukegan Park District

• Ronald J. Malchiodi, APRP, Village of Riverside

• Katherine S. Mitchell, CPRP, Bartlett Park District

• Mary Catherine Mullen, CPRP, River Trails Park District

• Victoria C. Shaver ,CPRP, Pleasant Dale Park District

• William H. Sturgis, CPRP, Blue Island Park District

GIVE US YOUR BEST SHOT! Show off your agency and its visual images with "Give Us Your Best Shot," a photo contest sponsored by the Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association. Photos submitted may be used in future editions of Illinois Parks & Recreation magazine, on the cover of the IAPD/IPRA Membership Directory and Buyers' Guide, or in other IAPD/IPRA projects. Enter as many times as you like in four categories: recreation, sports, wildlife and nature/landscapes. All entries must feature Illinois scenes. For complete guidelines and an entry form, go to www.ILparks.org or www.il-ipra.org. Enter by October 1, 2003.

IAPD Honors Secretary White

IAPD President Ted Flickinger gave special recognition to Secretary of State Jesse White as part of the IAPD's legislative conference in April. The association thanked White for his leadership in helping to establish the Park District Youth License Plate initiative. Proceeds go park-related youth programs.

Tri-Cities Gives St. Charles a Friendly Kick Friends of the St. Charles Park District include many organizations that partner annually to expand leisure services to Park District residents. Since 1977, the Park District has worked cooperatively with Tri-Cities Soccer Association, the largest independent recreational volunteer soccer organization in Northern Illinois, to offer a multitude of soccer programs for children of all ages. The Association's goal is to teach the basic skills involved and the actual game of soccer in a positive atmosphere of good sportsmanship and allow participants to have fun and learn teamwork. Competition is a natural part of any sport, but it is not the primary object. Spring session begins the first Saturday of April. Sessions run nine consecutive weeks. Players are assigned to a division based upon birth date (from Under 6 through Under 19). The Association's offices are located at Campton Hills Park. About Friends of Illinois Parks Friends of Illinois Parks is a nonprofit organization that strives to involve more citizens statewide as friends in these ways and others, such as legislative advocacy. To learn more about Friends of Illinois Parks, call toll-free 1-877-523-4558 or see www.ILparks.org. Tell us about your friends Tell us about friends of your agency and we'll publicize them in this space.

July/August 2003 | 47

PEOPLE AND PIACES

Oak Lawn Park District director Earns Bannon Practitioner Award

Maddie Kelly, the director of the Oak Lawn Park District, this May accepted the University of Illinois Department of Leisure Studies Joseph J. Bannon Practitioner Award given annually to someone who has displayed innovation in community service in support of the field of parks and recreation on the state and national levels.

Maddie Kelly accepts the 2003 Joseph J. Bannon Practitioner Award from Joseph J. Bannon.

Since 1996, Kelly has been the executive director at Oak Lawn, where she is responsible for the administration of all park departments and manages a $12 million annual budget. She is actively involved with the National Parks and Recreation Association, the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association, the South Suburban Parks and Recreation Association, the University of Illinois Department of Leisure Studies and the Oak Lawn Community Partnership Program. She holds a B.A. in leisure studies from the University of Illinois and a M.A. in recreation administration from Michigan State University.

Under her term at Oak Lawn, the district completed the Stony Creek Golf Course Clubhouse, received two IPRA Outstanding Program Awards, and secured more than $440,000 in grant money.

The award is named after U of I professor emeritus and founder of Sagamore Publishing Joseph J. Bannon.

IAPD Honors Northbrook Commissioner

On April 24th, the IAPD planted a tree at the Northbrook Park District, in honor of Oscar Dahl. Oscar is a commissioner at Northbrook and past president of the IAPD board. "We were happy to honor Oscar for his continued dedication to parks and recreation and his unending service at the state level," said IAPD chief executive officer Ted Flickinger. "Oscar continues to serve IAPD members as an ambassador." Pictured from left to right are Ted Flickinger and Oscar Dahl.

IN MEMORIAM Commissioner Sharon Brown, Oakbrook Terrace The Oakbrook Terrace Park District is sad to announce the passing of Park District Commissioner Sharon Brown (nee McKluskey). Sharon, age 62, was a park district commissioner since 1998. She was the mother of George E. Christine (Stuart) Prorok and Brian G. Brown. Her grandchildren are Mathew, Patrick, Mikey, Jessica, Georgie and Hannah. She was the fond sister of William McKluskey and Elaine (Daniel) Flanagan. Her dedication to the park district and its beautification will be a continued standard for both commissioners and staff.

48 | Illinois Parks and Recreation