CHICAGO - Governor Bruce Rauner today announced appointments to the following boards and commissions: the Illinois Board of Education, Illinois Community College Board, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, the Illinois Court of Claims and the Illinois Civil Service Commission.

Name: Lazaro Lopez

Position: Chairman - Illinois Community College Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Lazaro Lopez, 47, of Hoffman Estates to become the next chairman of the Illinois Community College Board. Lopez is a well-respected leader in the education field and was named Illinois Principal of the Year in 2013.

Lopez is currently the Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning of Township High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, which is the state's second-largest school district with more than 12,000 students. In this position he is responsible for the development and delivery of effective educational programs within the district's schools.

Prior to his work at the district level, Lopez was the principal of Wheeling High School. He oversaw the school's transition to a STEM-focused curriculum, which better prepares students for today's 21st century economy and world. Lopez held this position from 2007 to 2013.

Lopez is an army veteran, having served our country for three and a half years. He earned his associate's degree from the College of DuPage and a bachelor's degree from Illinois State University. He holds a master's degree from Roosevelt University and a doctorate in education from Aurora University.

Name: John Sanders

Position: Illinois State Board of Education

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected John Sanders, 52, of Marion to the Illinois State Board of Education. Sanders has served on the John A. Logan Community College Board of Trustees since 1997.

Sanders is a partner at Sanders & Sanders, which is a general practice law firm serving all of southern Illinois. The firm has also earned a premier reputation for its work in school law and has represented more than 40 different school districts throughout the region.

In addition to his legal work, Sanders has also served on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness, the Association for Community College Trustees and the Illinois Community College Trustee Association.

Sanders earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Illinois and a law degree from Southern Illinois University.

Name: Arabel Alva Rosales

Position: Board of Directors - Chicago Transit Authority

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Arabel Alva Rosales to the Chicago Transit Authority Board of Directors. She is an entrepreneur, a leader in the Hispanic community and has 15 years of state government experience.

Currently, Rosales is the president and CEO of A. Alva Rosales & Associates, which is a technology firm specializing in project management, technology-based marketing and developing technology infrastructure.

Rosales served the State of Illinois in a number of different positions from 1990 to 2005. Most recently, she was a Commissioner on the Illinois Human Rights Commission. She was also the Director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. Under former Governor Jim Edgar, she served as a Senior Policy Adviser on Urban Issues and as an Assistant to the Governor on Women's Issues and Hispanic Affairs.

Rosales earned her bachelor's degree from Mundelein College at Loyola University and a law degree from DePaul University. She also holds an executive certificate from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Name: Andre Youngblood

Position: Board of Directors - Chicago Transit Authority

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Andre Youngblood, 44, of South Holland to the Chicago Transit Authority Board of Directors. He brings 20 years of experience to the position.

Youngblood is currently the Commercial Insurance Director at Allianz Insurance Co. He manages a $30 million portfolio throughout the Midwest and is responsible for building relationships with key agency partners and profitability growth.

Prior to his work at Allianz, Youngblood worked for the Chubb Group of Insurance as a Commercial Marine Underwriter for three years. He also worked for State Farm Insurance as a Senior Claim Representative for two and a half years.

Youngblood earned his bachelor's degree from the University of California in African-American studies. He earned a master's degree in finance from DeVry University.

Name: Richard Burrow III

Position: Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Richard Burrow III, 59, of O'Fallon to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board. Burrow has a background in medical and business fields and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

Burrow is currently the Executive Vice President and COO of the Shaw Management Corporation. He is responsible for transforming the organization from a family-owned small business into a thriving corporation. Prior to that, Burrow was the COO of Family Physicians of O'Fallon.

Burrow is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He retired in 1999 as the flight commander for the 375^th Medical Operations Squadron. In that position he oversaw health care, preventative medicine and health promotion for more than 18,000 beneficiaries.

Burrow earned his bachelor's degree in nursing from Southern Illinois University, and he holds a master's degree in business management from Colorado Technical University. Burrow also attended Air Command and Staff College and Nursing Service Management within the Air Force.

Name: Mary Patricia Burns

Position: Judge - Illinois Court of Claims

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Mary Burns as Judge of the Illinois Court of Claims. Burns has served in this capacity since July 2009.

Burns is president of Burke Burns & Pinelli law firm. She is a managing partner and practicing attorney. Previously, she was an associate at Burke & Smith Chartered. Burns also served as a law clerk for Judge James Murray, researching and writing opinions.

Currently, Burns serves as a board member for many service organizations including Mercy Hospital Foundation, Service Club of Chicago and Ronald McDonald Children's Charity of Chicago.

Burns earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame, and earned her law degree from Loyola University School of Law.

Name: Fredrick Bates

Position: Chairman - Illinois Civil Service Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Fredrick Bates to be Chairman of the Illinois Civil Service Commission. Bates has served as an administrative law judge for the Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings since August 2013.

Before becoming a judge, Bates was President of Bates Legal Group, which specializes in management labor and employment law. He was recognized by The Legal Network as one of the top lawyers in 2013.

His other work experience includes being an equity partner at Wildman Harold, et al., President of Albert, Bates, Whitehead, et al., equity partner at Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, and an associate at Seyfarth Shaw. He began his career as a judicial law clerk for Judge Donald Ross on the 8^th Circuit United States Court of Appeals.

Bates received a bachelor's degree from Marquette University. He received his law degree from Creighton University School of Law in 1983.

Name: Garrett FitzGerald

Position: Commissioner - Illinois Civil Service Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Garrett FitzGerald as Commissioner of the Illinois Civil Service Commission. FitzGerald has served the people of Illinois as chairman of the ICSC since May 2011.

For almost nine years, FitzGerald has worked as the executive director for Northcenter Chamber of Commerce. His daily work has helped promote economic development and business growth in the Northcenter neighborhood. The growing chamber has more than 400 current members.

Prior to his work with the Chamber, FitzGerald worked as a policy analyst for the Chicago City Council under Alderman Eugene Schulter and as legislative staff to the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

FitzGerald earned a bachelor's degree in political science from DePaul University.

MOLINE, ILLINOIS - WQPT- Quad Cities PBS is pleased to offer a $500 Broadcast Scholarship to students pursuing a career in broadcasting. The annual award can be applied to tuition, books and fees.

Criteria to apply for the scholarship opportunity follow. You must:

•   be an accepted, or a currently enrolled, student at Western Illinois University in the broadcasting program;

•   reside in WQPT's viewing area or have recently graduated from a high school in the WQPT viewing area;

•   have earned an overall 2.5 GPA (grade point average); and

•   have a 3.0 or higher GPA in broadcasting courses taken at other institutions (not applicable to incoming college freshmen).

In addition, preference will be given to full-time students, although part-time students may apply.

For complete information and to download the application form online, visit wqpt.org/scholarship or call (309) 764-2400 or toll-free at (800 or 877) 413-2424. Applications will be accepted through April 18, 2014.

WQPT is a public media service of Western Illinois University-Quad Cities located in Moline, Illinois.

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WHO: Bettendorf Police Chief Phil Redington

Scott County Sheriff Dennis Conard

Bettendorf Schools Superintendent Theron J. Schutte, Ph.D.

WHAT: News conference to release "Doing Well Prevents Doing Time," a Fight Crime: Invest in Kids report that spotlights how continued implementation of the Iowa Core education standards and assessments will reduce future crime.

WHERE: Paul Norton Elementary School, 4485 Greenbriar Dr., Bettendorf, IA

WHEN: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 10

DETAILS:  While many Iowa educators view the Iowa Core education standards as a driving force for academic achievement, law enforcement leaders see another benefit: reductions in future crime.

That's important because, nationwide, almost seven in 10 inmates in state prisons failed to graduate from high school. "Doing Well Prevents Doing Time" also spotlights research showing long-term changes in wages and employment opportunities among non-college educated men may explain as much as half of property and violent crime rates.

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