EIU Media Relations

Quinn Appointments to EIU Board Include New, Continuing Trustees

When Eastern Illinois University's Board of Trustees meets in November, it will do so with some continuing and some new members.

On Monday, Gov. Pat Quinn made a number of appointments to the state's more than 320 boards and commissions. His action included the reappointment of two individuals and the addition of four new members to the EIU board.

All the appointments are temporary until approved by the Illinois Senate.

Robert Webb of Mattoon and Roger Kratochvil of Mt. Olive will continue to serve, having first been appointed in 2004. Webb, a former president of Lake Land College, currently serves as the BOT's chair. Kratochvil, a former teacher/principal at Mt. Olive High School, is vice chair.

New appointees include the following:

William Dano III of Oswego, who has more than 20 years of business experience in sales management for Extreme Networks, Avaya, Fujitsu, Lucent Technologies and AT&T;

Joseph Dively of Charleston, who is president of First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust and a former chairman of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce;

Kristopher Goetz of Lombard, who is operations director at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago; and

Rene Hutchinson of Chicago, who has worked at Allstate Insurance Company, Northbrook, for nearly 30 years.

These six men join Leo Welch of O'Fallon, whose existing term expires in January 2013, and Jarrod Scherle of Red Bud, who is serving as Eastern's 2011-12 student representative to the board.

"EIU enjoys a strong working relationship with the board," EIU President Bill Perry said. "We look forward to continuing that relationship with the board as newly appointed."

Three of the new appointees - Dively, Goetz and Hutchinson - are already well acquainted with Eastern's campus, having graduated from the university. Both Dively and Hutchinson are also former presidents of EIU's Alumni Association's Board of Directors.

"I'm proud to be an Eastern alumnus and find it rewarding to have been able to serve the university in a variety of positions over the years," Dively said.

Noting the strategic planning process and major fundraising campaign taking place on campus, he added, "This is an especially exciting time to be joining the board."

Hutchinson also expressed his pleasure at the opportunity to serve on the board.

"I am looking forward to serving as a member of the Board of Trustees," he said. "It will be a great honor to continue to support Eastern Illinois University and make EIU the great institution that it is."

Webb, who recognized retiring trustees Julie Nimmons of Litchfield and Bill O'Rourke of Springfield, said both individuals had made significant contributions to the university during their tenure on the board.

"Each member of the board brings a set of special skills, experience and background to assist the group as a whole," he said.

Nimmons, who was named to the board in April 2001, currently serves as chairwoman of Eastern's "Expect Greatness" $50 million capital campaign.

"And we're close to achieving our goal," Webb said. "It is my hope that Mrs. Nimmons will continue her work toward that effort."

O'Rourke, who has served as a trustee since June 2005, worked for seven years as the executive assistant to the general manager for City Water, Light and Power in Springfield. The special knowledge and skills he gained were of great value to the board as Eastern planned and constructed its newly operational Renewable Energy Center, Webb said.