By Christy Germanis, Director of Marketing & Public Relations (from news release)
BLOOMINGTON – YWCA McLean County celebrated 26 years of Women of Distinction at this evening’s festivities. Almost 500 people were in attendance to celebrate the six new women honored.
Area leaders and past Women of Distinction, Arlene Hosea (2013) and Vicki Tilton (2002), lead a keynote conversation where they spoke about their challenges and triumphs and emphasized the importance of community and mentoring the next generation.
Women receiving this year’s awards were selected from nominations submitted in six categories: business, creative arts and entertainment, education, professions, social services, and volunteer service. A panel of judges, including local and out of area leaders combined with YWCA executives from Pekin and Rockford, reviewed 28 nominations and selected one woman for each category.
The 2015 Women of Distinction for outstanding contributions in their fields are:
Business
Felicia Shaw plays a dual role in our community. She is a balance expert and CEO for Simply In Your Purpose and is a Community Reinvestment Act Specialist for State Farm. In addition to Felicia’s many roles, she is a host of WXRJ’s “Minding Your Business,” is a contributing author to two best-selling books, and also has a solo effort “Conquering the Enemy Within.” She is a motivational speaker and a certified life coach. In her free time, Felicia is the vice president of the Black Business Alliance and also represents the Town of Normal on the Connect Transit’s Board of Trustees. Felicia has been recognized with the “Distinguished Woman Award” through the National Association of Real Estate brokers, received the “International Above and Beyond Award” for Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, and the “Special Achievement Award” at State Farm. Felicia graduated from Western Michigan University with a BBA in Human Resources Management and a MBA in Strategic Management.
Creative Arts & Entertainment
Gail Dobbins is the Director of Marketing and Operations at the Heartland Theatre Company. Throughout her career she has had the ability to combine her communications background with her passion for theatre. Gail is described as the “heart of Heartland Theatre,” where she has worked as a volunteer serving on the Board of Directors, overseeing the theatre’s marketing efforts, coordinating volunteers, and leading in strategic planning and fund development. In addition to her involvement with Heartland Theatre, she is also a member of the Bloomington Kiwanis Club, serving on the Board of Directors and as committee chair of marketing. Gail has been the recipient of several awards, including the Outstanding Woman in Communications Crystal Award from the Bloomington-Normal Chapter of the Association for Women in Communications
Education
Laura Berk is an Emeritus Professor at Illinois State University. She worked diligently to pursue her education, receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Psychology and even receiving her doctorate when she was only 23. Her research has been published in many journals and magazines, and she has written five textbooks focusing on child development. Throughout her career, Laura has been dedicated to improving the lives of underrepresented children through education, which is evident by her involvement in the Illinois State University Childcare Center, Bloomington Daycare Center, The Baby Fold, Children’s Discovery Museum, and perhaps most notably, Jumpstart. She has been the recipient of several awards, including Distinguished Professor at Illinois State University in 1995. Laura is a wonderful wife and mother and loves gardening, hiking, and traveling.
Professions
Kathi Franklin has lived in the Bloomington-Normal community for more than 30 years. She began her career in health care by working at Advocate BroMenn where her job consisted of reaching out to the community to assist members in improving their health. Kathi stayed home with her twin boys for a couple of years prior to starting her career as the Executive Director of The Illinois Heart and Lung Foundation in 2005. She developed the foundation’s annual Women’s Health Night into a cooperative exposition bringing many nonprofits and health care providers together for the sake of community health. Most recently, Kathi launched Operation Revive, which provides AEDs in the community to be used in the event of a cardiac emergency. To date, the foundation has placed over 80 AEDs in our community, including in all the Bloomington-Normal police cars.
Social Services
Barbara Sims Malone is the Executive Director and founder of Neighbor to Neighbor. A native to the community, Barbara is a 1970 graduate of Bloomington High School. She has dedicated her life to public service, taking on leadership roles in her church and starting her own Boys & Girls Club. While her club started with this affiliation, it evolved into today’s Neighbor to Neighbor organization, of which she has been the executive director for the past 30 years. She is actively involved in supporting McLean County’s youth through 4-H projects, Marc First, and Boys & Girls Club. Barbara is highly involved in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Gospel Festival and Banquet. In 2008, Barbara was recognized as the NAACP’s Recipient for Excellence in Community Service, was the winner of the 2012 community service award at Illinois Wesleyan University, and was acknowledged as a top 25 Woman in Leadership from WEEK News 25.
Harriett F. Rust Volunteer Service
Fran Brandau grew up in Chicago, Illinois and taught in the suburban public schools for 12 years before moving to Bloomington, Illinois in 1985 where she began teaching at Carlock Elementary School. She retired from Carlock Elementary School in 1999, where she continued her interest in combating prejudice and discrimination in the community. She has taught English as a second language classes for women, completed the YWCA Stepping Stones Volunteer Advocate Training, and does prevention education work in schools with young children. Since retiring, Fran has been an active volunteer in many community programs and organizations, including the Illinois Symphony Orchestra Guild, CASA, Children’s Home and Aid, Moses Montefiore Temple, and YWCA McLean County.
Each award winner received a framed certificate and a sterling silver pin specifically designed for the Women of Distinction program by Theobald’s Gold & Silver Design, Inc. and handcrafted by Larry Hustedt of Hustedt Jewelers, Gibson City. Individual photographs of the award recipients will join previous winners on the “Wall of Fame” at YWCA, 1201 North Hershey Road, Bloomington.
In addition, seven women were honored as recipients of the WINGS award which provides professional mentoring and financial support to those desiring to further their education. WINGS is funded by past Women of Distinction award recipients. Those receiving the award this year: Danielle Beasley, Jessica Bushong, Shannon Busick, Sabrina Cavanaugh, Phyllis Davidson, Sarah Duvendack, and Andrea While.
