The 2019 UCCI Fall Conference kicked off with a dinner honoring the graduates of the Class of 2019 Leadership Academy on Friday evening, October 25th, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in Springfield. Governor J.B. Pritzker keynoted the event and spoke to recent legislative successes, particularly, the capital infrastructure bill which impacts counties across the state.
Prior to recognizing the 27 graduates of this year’s Leadership Academy, Anne Heinze Silvis, Program Leader and Assistant Dean for Community and Economic Development at the University of Illinois, addressed the audience of approximately 150 county board members and guests and emphasized the importance of ‘Leadership Learning’ to all public servants as you work to make your local communities better for all.
UCCI President David Meyer, Washington County Chair, presented certificates of completion to the members of the 2019 Leadership Academy class ... Bond County, Mark Robertson; Bureau County, Dawn Reglin; Champaign County, Lorraine Cowart and Charles Young; Cook County, Julie Kaviar; Edgar County, Angela Barrett; Fayette County, Melissa Storck; Ford County, Krisha Shoemaker; Fulton County, Lisa Thompson; Kane County, Erin Brady, Matthew Hanson and Chris Kious; Madison County, Chris Slusser; Monroe County, Lisa Fallon; Moultrie County, Christa Helmuth, Stephanie Helmuth and Tracy Weaver; Ogle County, Wayne Reising and Jamey Sulser; St. Clair County, Debra Moore; Stephenson County, Casey Anthony, Stephanie Helms, Georgia Newcomer and Rebecca Quiggle; Tazewell County, Bill Atkins and Toni Minton; and, Winnebago County, Elizabeth Lindquist.
The Leadership Academy, a joint venture of United Counties Council of Illinois and the University of Illinois, is a comprehensive leadership development program designed for county officials, elected and appointed. The central focus of this program of study whose rigor is comparable to courses at the University is on critical thinking, problem-solving, communications, planning, self-assessment and change.
The conference wrapped up with an education seminar on Saturday morning at the Presidential Library, where attendees learned about sweeping changes in Illinois’ employment law, including the Workplace Transparency Act, the Equal Pay Act Amendment and more; as well as, the high stakes at play with the legalization of recreational marijuana, including the impact on workplace policies, what is needed to be known about zoning/taxes and more. The presenters for the seminar included Jane May and Karin Anderson from the Northbrook law firm of O’Halloran, Kosoff, Geitner & Cook and Springfield attorney Jason Brokaw, UCCI legal counsel, Giffin, Winning, Cohen & Bodewes.
UCCI and the University of Illinois are already gearing up for the 2020 Leadership Academy program.