Press Release - Thursday, March 16, 2023
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Gov. Pritzker Announces Eleven Appointments to Boards and Commissions
Building on a strong team of diverse experts in their fields, Governor JB Pritzker announced the following appointments in his administration
Health Facilities and Services Review Board
Rex Budde will serve as a Member of the Health Facilities and Services Review Board.* Rex Budde has a forty year career working to better healthcare operations and finances. He recently retired as President/Chief Executive Officer after twenty-two years at Southern Illinois Healthcare in Carbondale, Illinois. While in this role, Budde grew the annual net revenues from $344 million in 2009 to $625 million in 2018. During this time, he also developed a comprehensive Cancer Institute that opened in 2015 and expanded in 2019. Budde's other experience at Southern Illinois Healthcare includes roles as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). He is on the Board of Directors at Southern Illinois Orthopedic Center, River to River Assisted Living, Southern Illinois Hospital Services, and McMahon/Illini Chapter HFMA. Budde received his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Illinois State University and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
Audrey Tanksley will serve as a Member of the Health Facilities and Services Review Board.* Dr. Audrey Tanksley brings a wealth of knowledge to this board. She is currently a physician at Mathers Recovery, Wellpath, and Innovative Wellness. In her role at Mathers Recovery, she oversees patients in an outpatient opioid treatment facility. Prior, she served as the Regional Medical Director at Access Community Health Network and was the Medical Director at Heartland Alliance Health. Dr. Tanksley has taught at the University of Chicago as a Clinical Instructor and Assistant Professor. She completed the Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Fellowship Program at Rush University. Dr. Tanksley has been published in many articles and is a member of several organizations and associations including the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association, the Illinois Society of Addiction Medicine, and the Cook County Physicians Association. Dr. Tanksley received her Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Southern University and her Doctorate from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
State Mining Board
Bernard Harsy will continue to serve as a Member of the State Mining Board.* Bernard Harsy, who has been serving on the State Mining Board since 2019, began his fifty-year career as a Coal Miner at Consol Coal Co in Cutler, Illinois. He held many responsibilities during that time, including dozer operator, drill helper, truck driver, shovel oiler, and dragline groundman. He served as President of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) Local 1825 for 22 years and was Chairman of the Mine Safety Committee. He retired as an equipment operator in 2012 from Operating Engineers Local 520. Harsy graduated from Southern Illinois University Vocational Technical Institute.
Michael Martin will continue to serve as a Member of the State Mining Board.* Michael Martin's coal mining career began in 1977 at Freeman United Crown II, where he worked as a mechanic for 27 years. He also has experience working as a mechanic at Freeman United Crown III and Springfield Coal Company before retiring in 2013. He previously served on the Illinois Miner's Examining Board from 2013-2022. Martin is a member of Knights of Columbus 1152, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), and Illinois Farmer.
Robert Eggerman will continue to serve as a Member of the State Mining Board.* Robert Eggerman is a retired coal miner of 38 years and a U.S. Army Veteran. In 1975, he began his 20-year union coal mining experience at Peabody Coal #10 in Pawnee, following in the footsteps of his father. He then attended and graduated from Lincoln Land Community College with an HVAC Certificate and worked at ADM for almost 4 years. Thereafter, he returned to coal mining as a Mine Supervisor for 8 years at Freeman United Crown II Mine in Virden. Eggerman later became employed as a Mine Supervisor with Tri County Coal, Farmersville, where he worked until taking a position as a State Mine Inspector in 2012 at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Mines and Minerals.
Stephen Willis will continue to serve as a Member of the State Mining Board.* Stephen Willis became a member of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) and was hired by the Old Ben Coal Company in 1972. He served as safety director, and then worked at Kerr McGee/American Coal for the next 12 years. In 2003, Willis was asked to become the safety director of one of the mine portals and by 2007, he became the safety manager of all 3 underground mines as well as the prep plant. From 2011 to 2013, he was the mine superintendent at the New Future and New Era mine and in 2014, became a regional corporate safety director for Murray Energy overseeing mines in Illinois, Kentucky and Utah. He remained there until his retirement in 2016.
Illinois Committee for Agricultural Education
Karen Schieler will serve as a Member of the Committee for Agricultural Education.* Karen Schieler has worked as a communications expert and journalist for sixteen year. She currently serves as the Senior Corporate Giving Specialist for Compeer Financial, where she prepares external and internal communications and leads strategic partnerships across three states. She also has experience as Compeer Financials' Communications Consultant where she was the editor of Cultivate, a client and public magazine. She began her career as a reporter for Livingston County at the Pantagraph. She is also a part of many agricultural professional organizations including the Illinois Council for Agriculture Education, Illinois Agri-Women, and the Illinois Agriculture Resource Council. She teaches communication courses at Illinois State University. Schieler received her Bachelor of Science in journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and her Master of Arts in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
Commission on Equity and Inclusion
Bruce Montgomery will continue to serve as a Member of the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.* Bruce Montgomery is an active contributor to Chicago's business, technology, and cultural communities. Before joining the Commission on Equity and Inclusion, Montgomery founded Montgomery & Company, a digital media, information, and communications technology company. He also founded Technology Access Television, Chicago's long running weekly television news show of which he is the Executive Producer and Host. Montgomery established the Entrepreneur Success Program, which serves early-stage business founders in accelerating their path to sustainable growth. He has also previously been employed at Sunshine Enterprises and Operation HOPE. Montgomery has been serving on the Commission on Equity and Inclusion since 2022. He received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism, advertising and marketing from Hampton University, and a Master's from the Amos Tuck Graduate School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Employment Security Board of Review
Lamarcus Williams will serve as a Member of the Employment Security Board of Review.* Lamarcus Williams is currently an apprentice wireman for I.B.E.W in Decatur, Illinois. He installs and repairs wiring while also troubleshooting and repairing electrical systems. Prior to joining IBEW, Williams was a maintenance technician with Fuyao Glass of Illinois where he successfully maintained plant operations. Williams has union leadership experience, serving as President of the United Steelworkers Local 193-G and Decatur Trades and Labor Assembly CLC. He is also a member of his local NAACP chapter. Williams received his G.E.D. in 2010.
Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees
Michelle Morales will serve as a Member of the Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees.* Michelle Morales has twenty-four years of non-profit and alternative education experience. She currently serves as the President for Woods Fund Chicago, where she has established organizational plans, policies, and procedures to fight against the systemic racism and economic injustices that impact students across Chicago. Prior to this, Morales served as Mikva Challenges' Chief Executive Officer where she created neighborhood leadership councils on Chicago's south and west sides to engage vulnerable middle schoolers. During her time as Associate Director and Director of Re-Enrolled Student Program at Alternative Schools Network, Morales developed and executed a program that provided funding to alternative high schools. This helped expand supportive services to 800 re-enrolled students at twenty participating alternative high schools. Morales graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies, and a Master of Arts in Special Education from University of Illinois at Chicago, and Educational Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University.
Betty Fleurimond will serve as a Member of the Northeastern Illinois University Board of Trustees.* Betty Fleurimond's career started in Information Technology Systems where she served as Project Lead at Lucent Technologies. In this role, she led a who analyzed and projected potential issues within the internet protocol (IP) transatlantic cable through the networking market. She currently serves as a Principal at Deloitte Consulting, leading their Higher Education Cloud ERP Portfolio and chairing the global Deloitte Center for Higher Education Excellence. She is responsible for transforming complex systems within the country's most prestigious higher education institutions. Fleurimond is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., the National Society of Black Engineers, the National Association of Female Executives, and the National Black MBA Association. She received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.
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