PEOPLE & PLACES

IN MEMORIAM
Gerald J. "Jerry" Brooks

Gerald J. "Jerry" Brooks, co-founder of the law firm of Brooks, Adams and Tarulis died on December 2, 2007. During his career, Brooks represented park districts in Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Clarendon Hills, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, LaGrange Park, Naperville, Roselle and Wheaton, among others, as well as the Illinois Association of Park Districts. He was instrumental, along with Harris Fawell, in the creation and application of the first valid donation ordinances.

Prior to founding Brooks, Adams and Tarulis in 1973, Brooks served as the first in-house city attorney for the City of Wheaton and as an attorney for the law firms of Rathje, Woodward, Dyer & Burt and Keith Roberts Law Offices. While attending Loyola University School of Law at night, he worked for the Allstate Insurance Company's legal department.

Brooks was an expert in local government law and represented many school districts, park districts, villages, townships, libraries and special districts. He also was an expert in real estate law and advised numerous types of clients in zoning, annexation, subdivision, variance and special use cases.

His community service included 14 years on the board of education for Westmont Community Unit School District 201. He was a founding member of the Naperville Veteran's Memorial, and he served as an incorporator of the Blackhawk Heights Sanitary District.

Cards to the family may be sent to his wife Mary Ann Brooks, 709 South 4^th Street, Effingham, Illinois, 62401.

New Rockford CFO Stacie Talbert.

Rockford CFO Steve Reichensperger retired in January after 27 years of service.

New Chief Financial Officer at Rockford

The board of commissioners welcomed Stacie Talbert as the new chief financial officer of the Rockford Park District, effective January 13. Talbert succeeds CFO Steve Reichensperger, who retired after 27 years of service.

Talbert comes to the district from Consolidated School District 158 in Algonquin, where she served as comptroller and treasurer since July 2007. Prior to that position, she was the director of financial services at Rock Valley College.

In addition to her professional resume, Talbert has affiliations and performs volunteer work for Rockford Counseling Services, Rockford Association for Minority Management and the Government Finance Officers Association. She completed her master's degree at Rockford College.

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PEOPLE & PLACES

The forest preserves' purchase in Ela Township is in the Village of Kildeer. This new 119-acre preserve offers a large marsh and protects sensitive wetlands. Photo by Lake County Forest Preserves

Record Land Buys Create Three New Forest Preserves, Expand Existing Preserve

Three new forest preserves were created and an existing preserve was expanded in record land buys approved by the Lake County Forest Preserves Board of Commissioners at a meeting in mid January.

The board approved purchasing and creating a new 261-acre forest preserve in Antioch Township for $14,600,000 ($55,938 per acre); a new 119-acre forest preserve in Ela Township for $5,400,000 ($45,378 per acre); and a new 243-acre forest preserve in Wauconda Township, along with a 75-acre addition to Singing Hills Forest Preserve for $21,893,700 ($68,848 per acre).

When combined, the purchases total 698 acres and approximately $41,893,700. When completed, the new preserves will bring the district's total land holdings to more than 26,000 acres.

"To be able to preserve nearly 700 acres in one day and to create three new forest preserves in three different areas of the county is an incredible opportunity. Present and future residents, as well as our wildlife, will benefit from the protection of these green spaces in three of the county's fastest growing communities," said Bonnie Thomson Carter, president of the Lake County Forest Preserves. "Saving large refuges is our mission. These purchases offer us a chance to protect and restore sensitive natural communities and to provide additional open space for outdoor recreation and nature education."

Frank Lazzara and Dan Gratzl (center) of the Wood Dale Park district are honored for their accomplishments in the IAPD Board Member Development Program by 2007 IAPD Chairman Scott Triphahn (left) and IAPD President and CEO Ted Flickinger (right).

IAPD Honors Notable and Master Board Members

The IAPD Board Member Development Program gives recognition to local board members who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty through committee involvement, attendance at continuing education opportunities and achievements at the local, state and national levels. Participants accumulate "Board Development Units" (BDUs) yearly from October 1 to September 30 for park district, forest preserve, conservation and recreation-related activities. Notable Board Members have accumulated 100 units. Distinctive Board Members have accumulated 400 units, and Master Board Members have accumulated 750 units. Master Board Members retain their status through the accumulation of maintenance units each year.

Notable Board Members 2007:
Libby A. Baker, Gurnee Park District
Frank Lazzara, Wood Dale Park District

Master Board Members 2007:
Dan Gratzl, Wood Dale Park District
Andrew McPherson, Palatine Park District
Jerry Stout, Wood Dale Park District

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Service and Agency Anniversary Awards -- 2007

Several park board members and agencies celebrated milestone anniversaries in the year just past. Many of these individuals and agencies were honored at their local board meetings or at the IAPD Awards Gala in September.

If your agency or members of your park board will mark a milestone anniversary (such as 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 years of board service) in 2008 and you wish for them to be recognized by IAPD, please contact IAPD Public Relations Director Bobbie Jo Hill at bjhill@ILparks.org.

Dolton Park Board Commissioners Lester Long, Allen Sheard and Carnell Woodbury celebrated 10 years of board service in 2007.

Hoffman Estates Commissioner Lollie Guiney was honored for her 10 years of service by 2007 IAPD Chairman Scott Triphahn (left) and IAPD President and CEO Ted Flickinger (right).

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Erin Parchert

Josh Enos

Forest Park Hires Recreation Superintendent and Supervisor Erin Parchert was recently named the superintendent of recreation for the Park District of Forest Park. She comes to the district from the Park Ridge Recreation and Park District, where she served as a recreation supervisor. Parchert received her bachelor's degree in recreation, park and tourism administration from Western Illinois University and is a member of IPRA and NRPA. Josh Enos has joined the district as a recreation supervisor. He oversees general recreation programming, special events and sports leagues. Enos is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with a degree in recreation administration. He has previously worked for the Carbondale Park District and recently completed an internship with the Itasca Park District.

Park Hires Education Coordinator and Recreation Supervisor Melissa Woodard recently joined the Richton Park - Parks & Recreation Department as the education coordinator. She replaces Vera Brooks, who was promoted to the Community Relations Department of Richton Park. Woodard is a recent graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in general studies with an emphasis in education. She previously worked for the University of Missouri Student Recreation Complex and currently oversees the summer camps and the before- and after-school care program for Richton Park. Also new to the Richton Park staff is Rose Coleman, a graduate of Illinois State University at Normal. Coleman is the recreation supervisor for Richton Park. She oversees all sport programs, recreation classes and special events. Her degree is in recreation and parks administration. She completed her internship with the Palos Heights Recreation Department.

Melissa Woodard

Rose Coleman

Park District Hires Public Relations and Marketing Manager

Megan Buchanan joined the Woodridge Park District as public relations and marketing manager in June. Buchanan worked for the Lockport Township Park District as an intern in 2002 and as public relations supervisor for three years.

Buchanan is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a degree in communications.

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Keith Schmerer

Ellen Hart

Wood Dale Welcomes Two The Wood Dale Park District has hired Keith Schmerer as a recreation supervisor. He is responsible for athletics, fitness and teen programming. He also manages the Fitness Studio and coordinates some special events. He completed his internship at the Rolling Meadows Park District. He has also worked for the Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Morton Grove and Barrington Park Districts in various part-time roles and served as a student board member for IPRA in 2006. Schmerer is a graduate of Illinois State University with a B.S. in recreation management. Ellen Hart recently joined the Wood Dale Park District as marketing and public relations coordiantor. Hart has many years of experience as an art and production manager for non-profit agencies and for service industry leaders in the Chicagoland area. She also worked as a private consultant for 16 years. Hart designs marketing materials and promotes district programs. She is a graduate of the Chicago Academy of Art.

Glenview Hires New Tennis Professional

The Glenview Park District has hired Alin Pop as a tennis professional at the Glenview Tennis Club. Pop is a certified United States Tennis Association High Performance coach and has extensive experience developing junior competitive players. He began his duties in January and works under the direction of Head Tennis Professional Kim Andersen. A native of Zalau, Romania, Pop began playing tennis when he was eight and became a nationally ranked junior player at 14. He began teaching in 1997 and has coached several junior players who have gone on to rank in the top 20 in the midwest and the top 100 nationally. His Glenview Tennis Club responsibilities include teaching and overseeing the club's tournaments. Prior to working at the Glenview Park District, Pop served as a tennis professional and tournament director at the Midtown Tennis Club in Chicago, where he taught group and private lessons to adults and juniors. Pop graduated from Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in computer science and mathematics.

Deerfield Hires New Early Childhood and Facilities Supervisors

Michelle Jarosinski

Megan Frain

Michelle Jarosinski, the Deerfield Park District's new early childhood recreation supervisor, comes to Deerfield with 24 years of experience in the early education field. Jarosinski is responsible for all year-round early childhood programs and for two summer day camps for early childhood participants. She also oversees two preschool camps.

Jarosinski coordinates the district's preschool program that serves more than 150 participants and directs a part-time staff of more than 25. She also organizes a variety of special events, including parent and child events, family programs, community activities, the Polar Express, the Chilly Willie winter event and more.

Jarosinski worked for eight years as a facilities/program manager at the Gary Park District and has an additional 16 years as a learning center director.

The district's new recreation supervisor for facilities and aquatics is Megan Frain. She has worked for the park district for the past nine years in positions ranging from camp counselor to, most recently, the After School Club coordinator. She graduated from Indiana University with a degree in social work.

Frain coordinates and oversees Holiday Camps, the After School Club and the School's Out programs. She is responsible for management and staffing of two outdoor pool facilities in Deerfield, including a sprayground and zero-depth kiddie pool. Frain oversees the operation of the Jewett Park Community Center, the district's main building. She also is responsible for scheduling rentals of the district's facilities and parks. She supervises full-time building attendants and custodians at the community center, as well as a number of part-time program coordinators. Frain is certified as an Ellis and Associates Lifeguard Instructor and is certified in CPR and the operation of AEDs.

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Oak Brook Park District Hires Sports Coordinator Supervisor

Chris Piasecki

Kelli Turner

Chris Piasecki has joined the Oak Brook Park District as the sports coordinator of adult and children's athletic programs. His main responsibilities include overseeing the adult Softball, volleyball and basketball leagues, as well as the district's youth basketball league and pee wee sports program.

Piasecki majored in kinesiology and recreation program management at Illinois State University. He started as the intern for the Oak Brook Park District in May and was hired on as the sports coordinator in October 2007.

Kelli Turner is the new aquatic supervisor for the agency's Family Aquatic Center. Her primary responsibilities include overseeing the Stars swim team, as well as all the youth swim lessons. She also hires and schedules lifeguards, swim instructors and the party hostesses for all the pool parties.

Turner majored in leisure studies with a specialization in therapeutic recreation at the University of Iowa. She comes to the district with nine years of experience in aquatics, as well as her four years at River Trails Park District as that agency's seasonal aquatic supervisor/program director and pool manager.

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