Forever Home: John "JB" Biernbaum

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John "JB" Biernbaum
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Forever Home: John "JB" Biernbaum

October 19, 2020

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Video by Phil Weiss, BA '98, MS '17, University Television

NOTE: This is the ninth installment in the series, "Forever Home," which features video interviews with those who have chosen to make Macomb (and/or WIU) their home.

By Jodi Pospeschil, MA '15

MACOMB, IL – Homecoming week at Western Illinois University seemed like the perfect time to interview Associate Vice President for Student Services John "JB" Biernbaum for the next edition of the "Forever Home" series.

Named an honorary alumni of WIU in 2014, Biernbaum came to Macomb 27 years ago to become the hall director for Henninger Hall in the North Quad, after completing graduate school at Eastern Illinois University. When Bayliss joined with Henninger Hall to become a complex, he moved into the director's position, which he held from 1994-1999.

"It was probably the best job I've ever had," he said. "I hate saying that because I like the one I'm in, but some of the best years of my life were from 1994-1999."

In 1996, the University partnered with the then St. Louis Rams NFL football team to become home of its summer training camps. Biernbaum coordinated those visits, which lasted nine summers, and he developed friendships that led him to be able to attend two Super Bowl appearances by the team to work in operations.

"I was asked to work Super Bowl 34 and Super Bowl 36, when The Greatest Show on Turf went to Atlanta and New Orleans and played the Titans and the Patriots," he said. "It was just an unbelievable experience."

Biernbaum has built and has maintained a friendship with John Oswald, who was then the vice president of operations for the Rams; a connection he calls "life changing."

"Getting to work for an organization like that, up close and personal, there is really nothing like it," he said. "I became close very early on with John Oswald and that was probably my in. He trusted me on a few things early on…there were some hiccups that I was able to take care of very early on and that really changed our relationship to one of trust very quickly."

It was that relationship that led to Biernbaum being invited to work the Super Bowl games, fly with the team and ride in the 2000 Super Bowl victory parade, in a truck with the team's cheerleaders.

"I really lucked out," he said.

Soon, Biernbaum was promoted to assistant director of Residential Facilities and his office moved to WIU's Seal Hall. He also became the liaison between Housing, Athletics and Facilities Management.

Biernbaum's responsibilities increased in 2006, when he was promoted to assistant director of student services, overseeing Housing and Dining Services and the Student Development Office. He moved up to his current position about four years later, taking on the oversight of the Union, Bookstore, Student Activities, Campus Recreation and the Harry Mussatto Golf Course.

In addition to his dedication to WIU, Biernbaum is an equally dedicated member of the Macomb community, a legacy of volunteerism he credits his grandfather for.

"I grew up in southeastern Illinois, in Palestine, IL," he said. "Grandpa was always doing stuff and I think that has informed how I have done things as I've gotten older."

Coaching Little League baseball, serving as a Cub Scout pack master, being a Big Brother for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, serving on the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce Board and the Spoon River College Board and volunteering for the McDonough County Humane Society round out his efforts to make Macomb a better place.

"Dogs are very near and dear to my heart; I find them often to be better than people," he said. "I try to do my part."

Biernbaum is excited as the Humane Society begins a fundraising campaign to bring a new animal shelter to McDonough County. He has adopted numerous shelter dogs over the years, even saving one just minutes before it was euthanized. In another case, he brought home a German shepherd, named "Lucy," who was nearing the end of her battle with cancer and gave her the perfect weekend.

"I decided to give her a hospice weekend," he said. "I brought her home, fed her, took her for rides, she got McDonalds, Casey's doughnuts; everything a dog should deserve on its last weekend. I slept on the floor with her those two nights, then they came to my house to put her down. I probably haven't cried that hard since I was a little kid."

As the COVID 19 pandemic took over the country, Biernbaum, a frequent restaurant began seeing the impact on local restaurants.

"I eat out about every meal, so the shelter-in-place was a real game-changer for me, and not in a good way," he said. "I'm a social person."

After realizing the pandemic was going to be long-term, Biernbaum created a Facebook page where restaurants could post their daily specials and menus and local residents could get information on where to order take-out from.

"I privately reached out to as many restaurant owners as I could and said 'if you will post on this thing, I will drive traffic to it,'" he said. "I thought at the time we'd get 300-500 people. I did this in my garage. It just took off and it took off really fast."

The project evolved into a bingo game, encouraging local residents to patronize local businesses and resulting in local people trying county businesses they hadn't. Biernbaum donated $100 of his own money and another private donor matched it. An additional 80 prizes were donated to the game and the site was followed by more than 5,000 people.

"This community came together hard for that," he said. "I feel like our restaurants are our community dining table; it's where we come together. I think it's wildly important to save them and I'd like to think this helped them a little bit. I loved hearing the stories of people trying new places for the first time; those stories filled my heart."

The social media effort resulted in Biernbaum winning a Community Quality of Life Committee Award, which was presented recently.

Over the years, Biernbaum has enjoyed living in Macomb, taking part in community traditions and patronizing locally-owned businesses. He said it is the people that have kept him here.

"This is the biggest town I have ever lived in," he said. "I'm 27 years into this now – minus some spectacular thing that happens that's out of my control, I've got a lot more good years to give to this community. I hope I've still got a little gas in the tank to do that."

For more information about WIU, visit wiu.edu.