CHICAGO - The Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that six distinguished Illinoisans have joined the board. They are: Joel F. Henning, Diane L. Nyhammer, Thomas C. Pavlik, John H. Peterson, Robert P. Scales and Theodoros G. Zervas.  On July 1st, each member began a three-year term and is eligible for two more terms.  

Joel F. Henning is a lawyer, consultant and writer. He is principal of Joel Henning & Associates. His firm consults throughout the world with law firms, corporate law departments and government agencies. For more than 20 years he has written cultural columns for The Wall Street Journal. He is a regular lecturer at several law schools including The University of Chicago and Northwestern University. His books include Holistic Running, Maximizing Law Firm Profitability and Law-Related Education in America. Joel has been a trustee of Columbia College of Chicago and served on several not-for-profit boards including the ACLU of Illinois. He was Chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Financing the Arts in Illinois, a member of the Illinois Arts Council, the American Theatre Critics’ Association, and the Joseph Jefferson (theatrical) Awards Committee. Joel is a member of the American Law Institute, the American Bar Foundation and has served in the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association.

Diane L. Nyhammer is Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Rock Valley College, Rockford, IL. Previously, she was the Executive Dean of Humanities, Distance Education, and Professional Development at McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, IL.  She has also worked as an Assistant Director for Academic Affairs at the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Assistant Director of Accreditation Services at the Higher Learning Commission, and Dean of Arts and Sciences at Colorado Mountain College.  She continues to serve as a peer reviewer and as an Assessment Academy mentor for the Higher Learning Commission.  Diane’s community service includes serving on the boards of the Mid-America Horse Show Association, the Burpee Museum of Natural History, the American Association of Learning in Higher Education, and the OSF St. Anthony Hospital advisory board.  Diane has a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Loyola University and a Master’s in English from Northern Illinois University.

Thomas C. Pavlik is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is admitted to practice law in Illinois, Texas and Ohio. Tom graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1989, and from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1992. In law school, he served as Senior Editor of the Notre Dame Law Review and graduated Magna Cum Laude. After graduation, he clerked for Chief Justice Benjamin K. Miller of the Illinois Supreme Court, and in 1993 began his private practice as an associate in the Dallas office of international law firm Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue. He then practiced with Figari & Davenport, LLP, a cutting edge litigation boutique, where he concentrated on both plaintiff and defense sides of complex commercial litigation. Tom joined his family firm, Delano Law Offices, LLC, in 1999. His practice is concentrated in the areas of general business law, real estate, employment matters and commercial litigation. In his capacity as Special Assistant Attorney General, he represents the State of Illinois in eminent domain proceedings. Tom is a monthly legal affairs columnist for the Springfield Business Journal and is a regular legal affairs commentator for News Channel 20. He is or has been a board member of numerous Springfield civic and religious organizations, including currently serving as incoming President of the YMCA Board of Directors and on the Board of Directors for the Salvation Army. In 2001, Tom was also recognized as one of Springfield’s “Forty Under Forty” business and community leaders.

John H. Peterson is a Vice President in Public Finance at William Blair & Company, where he works with non-profit cultural, social and educational organizations, and municipalities to raise tax-exempt capital. Deeply committed to the humanities, he has pursued avocational interests in music, literature and the arts, as a Trustee of Interlochen Center for the Arts and as a member of various library support groups including currently the Visiting Committee of the University of Chicago Libraries. He has taught classes at the Newberry Library on the American poets Robert Frost, Richard Wilbur, James Merrill and Elizabeth Bishop. He holds a BA cum laude from Amherst and has two Master of Arts degrees from the University of Chicago, one in Public Policy Studies and the other in the Humanities.

Robert P. Scales graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Philosophy, and afterward went to law school at Lewis and Clark College of Law in Portland, Oregon. He has had a life-long devotion to the humanities and to music, and is now completing his master’s degree in Liberal Arts at the University of Chicago. Bob has practiced law in Chicago for 30 years, first at the Securities and Exchange Commission, and later at a law firm, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and a brokerage house.  At present, he is general counsel of the Acorn Funds, a $24 billion family of mutual funds.  In addition to his law practice, Bob taught at Chicago-Kent College of Law, and is a frequent speaker at fund industry conferences. He lives in Winnetka with his wife, Mary Keefe, and two teenage boys, Sam and Emmet.  

Theodoros (Ted) G. Zervas was born in Chicago to immigrant parents from Greece. He received his BA in History and Political Science from DePaul University, MA in History with Distinction from DePaul, MSED from Northwestern University’s School of Education and Ph.D. in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies for Loyola University Chicago. Prior to North Park, Ted taught World and European history in the regular, honors and International Baccalaureate program at Lincoln Park High School in Chicago. While at Lincoln Park, Ted also taught as a part-time teaching associate at Northwestern University. In 2006, Ted was appointed Director/Assistant Professor of the Master of Arts Program and Teacher Certification (MATC) at North Park University in Chicago and continues to work in this position today. His academic papers have been published in both the United States and Europe. Ted has also been a visiting professor of History at Instituto Technologico Y De Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Chihuahua, Mexico. Ted enjoys traveling, reading and spending time with family and friends. Currently Ted lives in the Northwest side of Chicago
“We are so pleased to add Joel, Diane, Tom, John, Bob, and Ted to our board of directors,” said Kristina A.Valaitis, IHC Executive Director. “They each bring a deep appreciation of the humanities, knowledge of Illinois, and individual creativity and expertise to the organization.”

Currently, 32 members comprise the Illinois Humanities Council Board of Directors.  They are:

Alton B. Harris (Chicago), Chair; Danielle Allen (Chicago); Matti Bunzl (Champaign); Rodrigo del Canto (Chicago); Michael C. Dorf (Chicago); Deborah Epstein (Chicago); Stuart Flack (Chicago); Adam P. Green (Chicago); Joel F. Henning (Chicago); J. Paul Hunter (Chicago); Falona Joy (Chicago); Thomas E. Kallen (Chicago); Gary Koch (Springfield); Greg Koos (Bloomington); Robert F. Lipman (Evanston); Grayson Mitchell (Chicago); Anita Nagler (Chicago); James M. Newcomb (Wilmette); Diane L. Nyhammer (Rockford); Thomas C. Pavlik (Springfield); John H. Peterson (Chicago); Gordon Quinn (Chicago); Robert P. Scales (Chicago); Gerald Skoning (Chicago); Roger L. Taylor (Galesburg); David Thigpen (Chicago); Nancy Tom (Chicago); Maria (Nena) Torres (Chicago); Kay Torshen (Chicago); The Honorable George Van Dusen (Skokie); John A. Wing (Evanston); and Theodoros G. Zervas (Chicago).

The IHC accepts public nominations for new Board members throughout the year. For more information about the IHC, call 312.422.5580 or visit http://www.prairie.org/ <http://www.prairie.org/> .

The Illinois Humanities Council is a nonprofit educational organization [501 (c) 3] dedicated to fostering a culture in which the humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities. Organized in 1973 as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the IHC creates programs and funds organizations that promote greater understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the humanities by all Illinoisans, regardless of their economic resources, cultural background, or geographic location. The IHC is supported by state, federal, and private funds.

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COMMUNITY DAY REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

www.communitydayevent.com

MILWAUKEE, WI. (August 19, 2010) – Younkers announced that its semi-annual Community Day event will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010.  Non-profit groups may sign up now at www.communitydayevent.com to request event booklets and begin selling  to raise funds for their organization.   The savings booklets are to be used on Community Day.

Successful organizations have raised thousands of dollars by participating in this event.  View testimonials on www.communitydayevent.com and find out first-hand what groups are saying about their success and learn more about how non-profits can benefit from this event. In 2009, over $10 million was raised by participating nonprofit organizations through the Community Day events.

Eligible Community Day organizations include local 501C-3 nonprofit organizations and schools.  Non-profit groups sell savings booklets for $5 and, in return, the purchaser receives a $10 off coupon with virtually no exclusions. Plus seven additional coupons as well as exclusive online savings and Bonus Buy offers on Saturday, November 13.  The organization keeps 100% of the $5 donation.

“Providing this fundraising opportunity is extremely important to our company,” said Bud Bergren, president and chief executive officer of The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. “The event provides non-profits groups with the resources to raise funds which support the community and fulfill their mission.”

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. operates 278 stores, including 11 furniture galleries, in 23 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates and, under the Parisian nameplate, stores in the Detroit, Michigan area. The stores offer a broad assortment of brand-name fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings.

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This will be the third year that Ryan Companies has been the presenting sponsor for the Student Hunger Drive’s Corporate Challenge. "The Corporate Challenge is a great opportunity for the business community to be a role model in community awareness that the students can look to as they prepare to kick off the Student Hunger Drive in their schools," said Greg Lundgren, President of Ryan Companies, USA, Inc. The Quad City Area high school students will kick off their hunger drives at the end of September.

The John Deere Foundation will help the Student Hunger Drive celebrate its 25 year anniversary. The Corporate Challenge Hunger Drive addresses a pressing problem in the Quad Cities region,” says John Bustle, Vice President, John Deere Foundation. “It is a great way for all companies and businesses in our region to support our citizens.

A John Deere Foundation grant of up to $25,000 has been approved for this initiative, extending our support for the River Bend Food Bank, which includes the development and funding of BackPack programs in elementary schools, and individual capacity-building grants to help it meet the increasing demand for its services.”

Companies participating are: Alternatives for the Older Adult, American Rental Association, Alcoa, Bettendorf Family YMCA, City of Davenport, Deloitte, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Eye Surgeons Associates PC, Gere Dismer Architects, Isabel Bloom LLC, Java Java, Junior Achievement of the Heartland Inc, Lujack’s Northpark Auto Plaza, McLaughlin Body Co., McLaughlin Motors, Mel Foster Company, Midland Corporation, Quad City Times, Ruhl &Ruhl Commercial, Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors, Ryan Companies US Inc, Sam’s Club, Snyder Park & Nelson PC, The National Bank, Trissel Graham & Toole, United Way of the Quad Cities Area, Weiss Family Chiropractic, Wells Fargo Bank and Walgreens.

“Demand for our services is at an unprecedented high”, said Tom Laughlin, Executive Director of River Bend Food Bank. “The Corporate Challenge is a great way for the business community to join us in our daily battle against hunger”. River Bend Foodbank is the largest hunger relief organization in the Quad City area with an annual distribution of over 6 million pounds of food through a distribution network of 300 feeding programs in 22 counties.

“The Corporate Challenge has been a natural progression from the students that were initially involved in the Student Hunger Drive to becoming vital leaders in our community and carrying on the passion of volunteerism and giving back to their neighbors in need,” said Sarah Johnson, Student Hunger Drive Advisory Board Member.

“I am confident that this group of enthusiastic businesses will be successful in reaching our 50,000 pound goal to receive the generous $25,000 award from The John Deere Foundation,” says Amy Pearson, Corporate Challenge Director for the Student Hunger Drive.

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The Figge Art Museum is one of more than 600 museums to offer free admission to military personnel and their families this summer

Davenport, Iowa -—Today The Figge Art Museum announced the launch of Blue Star Museums, a partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and more than 600 museums across America to offer free admission to all active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day 2010.   Families can visit the Figge Art Museum at www.figgeart.org for museum hours.  The complete list of participating Blue Star Museums is available at www.arts.gov.

“America’s museums are proud to join the rest of the country in thanking our military personnel and their families for their service and sacrifice,” said National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Rocco Landesman. “I cannot imagine a better way to do that than welcoming them in to explore and enjoy the extraordinary cultural heritage our museums present.  The works of art on view this summer will inspire and challenge viewers, and sometimes they will just be a great deal of fun.”

“There have always been wonderful examples of partnerships between museums and military installations, but the scale of this gift from the museum communities to military families is thrilling,” said Blue Star Families Chairman Kathy Roth-Douquet.  “Military families work hard for this country, and it is gratifying for us to be recognized for that.  We anticipate that thousands of military families will participate in the program and visit museums this summer – many of them for the first time.  Blue Star Families will work hard to help our military families make the most of these opportunities.”

In addition to being Chairman of Blue Star Families, Ms. Roth-Douquet is married to a Marine Corps officer, who is currently deployed to Afghanistan.  They have two children, and Ms. Roth-Douquet and the children plan to take a road trip this summer to visit Blue Star Museums up and down the East Coast.

More than 600 museums in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are taking part in the initiative.  The American Association of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Directors, and the Association of Children’s Museums each sent a letter from NEA Chairman Landesman inviting museums to participate in this program.  In addition to thirty children’s museums across the country, participating museums represent a broad range of art, history, science, and cultural topics -- from the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas, to the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, California, to the Mission San Luis, a living history site and historic landmark in Tallahassee, Florida, to the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Lincoln – Nebraska, the Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois, and the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, New Hampshire.

Blue Star Museums runs from Memorial Day, May 31 through to Labor Day, September 6, 2010.  The free admission program is available to active duty military and their immediate family members (military ID holder and five immediate family members), which includes active duty Reserve and active duty National Guard.  Some special or limited-time museum exhibits may not be included in this free admission program.  For questions on particular exhibits or museums, please contact the museum directly.  To find out which museums are participating, visit www.arts.gov/bluestarmuseums.  The site includes a list of participating museums and a map to help with visit planning.

This is the latest Arts Endowment program to bring quality arts programs to the military, veterans, and their families.  Other NEA programs for the military have included Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience, Great American Voices Military Base Tour, and Shakespeare in American Communities Military Base Tour.

About Blue Star Families

Blue Star Families is a national, non-partisan, non-profit network of military families from all ranks and services including guard and reserve, with a mission to support, connect and empower military families.  In addition to morale and empowerment programs, Blue Star Families raises awareness of the challenges and strengths of military family life with civilian community and leaders.  Membership includes spouses, kids, parents, service members, veterans and civilians.

Operation Appreciation is an initiative of Blue Star Families that seeks to connect military families to the larger community.  Blue Star Families 2009 annual survey shows that 94 percent of military families feel that the larger community doesn’t truly understand or appreciate the sacrifices we make for the country.  Through initiatives such as Blue Star Museums, Blue Star Families provides avenues for the larger community to show that they do understand, in meaningful ways that enrich the lives of military service members, spouses, children and parents.  For more information, please visit www.BlueStarFam.org.

About the National Endowment for the Arts

The NEA is a public agency dedicated to supporting excellence in the arts – both new and established – bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education.  Established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government, the Arts Endowment is the largest annual national funder of the arts, bringing great art to all 50 states, including rural areas, inner cities, and military bases. For more information, please visit www.arts.gov.