University News
WIU Alumni Achievement Awards
November 18, 2003
MACOMB, IL A news anchor, a university vice president and a medical director are among seven Western Illinois University graduates selected to receive the WIU Alumni Achievement Award at the Saturday, Dec. 13 Commencement Exercises.
This year's recipients are Sandra K. Edwards, associate vice chancellor for development at the University of Arkansas; Larry Huffman, president and CEO for Kankakee Federal Savings Bank; Marcia Lense, news anchor and producer at KWQC-TV, Davenport, IA; Steve McCann, general services partner with McGladrey & Pullen in Davenport, IA; Dr. Steve Poplawski, medical director at Forest Health Medical Center in Ypsilanti, MI; Jack Schulte, a member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange; and Jackie Thompson, vice president for administrative services at Western Illinois University.
Western's Alumni Achievement Award is given in recognition of outstanding contributions to any of the following: exceptional accomplishment in one's chosen field of endeavor; exceptional service in community affairs at the local, state or national levels; and exceptional service in support of advancement and continued excellence of WIU.
Edwards, who earned her masters degree in college student personnel in 1974, is the associate vice chancellor for development at the University of Arkansas. Under her leadership the University of Arkansas has grown from an average of $29 million per year in gift commitments to $148 million a year. She worked in Westerns Office of Student Activities in the mid-1970s, leaving to accept a position with the Hammons Center at Southwest Missouri State University. During her six-year tenure there, she oversaw an average of 75 events and a staff of more than 100. Edwards continued her role in arts management serving as general manager for the Shreveport Symphony, a professional orchestra in Shreveport, LA. From there she became the director of development for the division of Outreach and Cooperative Extension at The Pennsylvania State University, creating the first comprehensive advancement program in the field of continuing and distance education at a public university. During that time she was part of the management team that created Penn States World Campus, a virtual university for students at a physical distance from the university. While at Penn State she chaired the 1997 International Conference of the Association of Faculty Clubs International. Edwards also served as member of the Board of Trustees for an eight-year term at Lenoir-Rhyne College, her undergraduate alma mater. This year Edwards was honored with the Mattie Mae Rice Fund Award by the American Association of University Women, Fayetteville Branch. She is a board member of the Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, AR.
Huffman, the former president and CEO of KFS Bank, earned a bachelors degree in agriculture in 1970 and his masters degree in 1971 in college student personnel. Originally from Fulton County, he entered Western to pursue a degree in agricultural occupations, but his attendance was interrupted in 1968-69 for basic training as part of his Army Reserves service requirement. He returned to campus in 1969 where he was active in Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, Interfraternity Council, University Union Board and campus intramurals. Following graduation Huffman entered the University of Illinois and earned his Ph.D. in higher education in 1974. He accepted a position as associate executive director of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association and after one year was selected by Illinois Valley Community College to serve as dean of student development. In 1977 Huffman was named vice president for academic programs and services at Kankakee Community College. When the college president retired in 1987, Huffman was appointed interim president and then named president. He was the longest-serving president in the history of the college, retiring three years ago to assume the CEO position at the Kankakee bank. Huffman has been active in the United Way, the Boy Scouts of America and the Kankakee YMCA. He has also chaired the Kiwanis Clubs scholarship committee and is on the board of directors for the Riverside Medical Center Foundation. In 2001 he was selected for honorary membership by the Illinois Community College Trustee Association in recognition of his exemplary service and commitment. Huffman recently chaired the community's Economic Development Council and served on the board of the Kankakee River Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Lense, a 1982 mass communications graduate, has been a reporter, anchor and producer with KWQC-TV in Davenport, IA since 1988. After completing an internship at WIFR-TV in her hometown of Rockford, she entered the world of radio news at KCRG-AM in Cedar Rapids, IA. Two years later she was promoted to morning news anchor and eventually weekend news anchor at the sister television station KCRG-TV. In 1987 she was hired to report from the Iowa bureau of WQAD-TV in Moline. Lense has earned numerous awards from various organizations including the Society of Professional Journalists, the Associated Press and Women in Communications for reporting and producing special programs. Two of her programs Super-Summer Jobs Bowl and Safety Patrol received Emmy nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Lense co-anchored the number one rated early evening local news program in the country, according to Top 100 markets Arbitron in November 1991. She is a member of the Sherrard School District Citizens Advisory Council and her neighborhood activities committee. Lense is a former member of the WIU Alumni Council and also a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Moline where she sings in the Praise Band.
McCann, a 1978 accountancy graduate, is an assurance partner with McGladrey & Pullen LLP in Davenport, IA. He has been with the CPA firm for 25 years and was admitted into partnership in 1986. During his career with McGladrey & Pullen he has served clients in a number of industries, with a major emphasis in the area of financial institutions. McCann is a certified public account licensed to practice in Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. He is involved in presenting professional development programs for McGladrey & Pullen and participates in professional staff recruitment throughout the Midwest, including Western. McCann is active in Skills Incorporated, serving as treasurer of the board of directors. He is a founding member of the WIU department of accountancy Preferred Partners in Education program, and he served on Westerns department of accountancy advisory council for several years. In 2001, McCann coordinated a fundraising program at McGladrey & Pullen that resulted in pledges of more than $20,000 for renovation of the WIU accountancy departments tutoring lab. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Illinois and Iowa Societies of CPAs and is an associate member of the Illinois Bankers Association. He is a member of the Orion Lions Club and is on the board of the John Deere Classic Golf Tournament.
Poplawski, a 1977 biological sciences graduate, is the medical director and head of the Department of Surgery at Forest Health Medical Center in Ypsilanti, MI. Following his graduation from Western, he attended the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Champaign and then the Rockford School of Medicine. Following his surgical residency and chief residency at the University of Nebraska, Poplawski returned to Illinois where he was in private surgical practice in Sterling. A post-doctorate fellowship landed him at the University of Pittsburgh in transplantation surgery. He also studied adult and pediatric transplantation at Pittsburghs Presbyterian Medical Center, Pittsburgh Childrens Hospital and Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX. In 1989 he was named director of the liver transplant program and assistant professor of surgery at the University of Alabama-Birmingham. While at Alabama Poplawski was instrumental in the development of the Center for the Study of Liver Diseases and served as the centers co-director. In 1994 he was recruited to develop and run the liver transplant program at Carolinas Medical Center, where he served as director of liver transplant surgery and the Center for Liver Diseases. Poplawski has served as a member of the executive committee of the Boy Scouts as well as on the board of directors of the educational foundation of the Our Lady of Sorrows School and The Childrens Assessment Center for The Prevention of Childhood Abuse. He was also the director of the Alabama chapter of the American Liver Foundation. Poplawski is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American College of Surgeons, the American Liver Surgery Group and the American Medical Association.
Schulte, a 1972 business graduate, became a member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) in 1972 and still trades livestock futures contracts at the CME. In 1994 Schulte moved to Australia and traded bonds at the Sydney Futures Exchange of which he is also a member. As a member of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Schulte has served as a member of the real estate, arbitration, business conduct and the political action committees. He was also elected by the membership of the Exchange to the nominating committee to slate candidates to run for directorship of the Exchange. Schulte has been a consistent benefactor to WIU and has included the University is his estate plans. He consistently hires Western students to clerk for him on the Exchange floor giving them first-hand trading experiences. Schulte also supports Catholic Charities and provides scholarships to children in need. During his time at Western Schulte was president of the Interfraternity Council and was a member of Phi Sigma Epsilon.
Thompson, a 1985 graduate of the Board of Governors (now named the Board of Trustees) Bachelor of Arts degree program and 1994 educational administration graduate, has served as Westerns vice president for administrative services since 1997. In this role she is responsible for the Universitys business services, human resources, purchasing, information management services, physical plant, public safety, auxiliary services and the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Boards Executive Institute, Media Resource Center and the Illinois Police Corps. Prior to her role as vice president Thompson was the special assistant to the vice president for administrative services and director of auxiliary services/facilities planning. She began her career at Western in 1970 as an administrative clerk/secretary in auxiliary services. Thompson is a member of the State Universities Administrative Vice Presidents Association, serving as chair from 1997-1998; the National Association of College and University Business Officers; the National Association of College and University Auxiliary Services; and is a founding member of Printing and Duplicating Managers of Illinois Public Universities. She has also served as a public member of the 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone Systems Board and Executive Board; on the Joint Communications Board for Macomb and McDonough County; the Western Illinois University Alumni Council, serving as president from 1999-2001; the McDonough County Waste Management Advisory Council; McDonough County United Way Board; and McDonough County Republican Central Committee. Thompson has received the McDonough County United Way Isaac and Ethel Leighty Award; was a WIU Affirmative Action administrative intern; received Westerns Outstanding Community Service Award; and was recognized in the Centennial Women of Western Exhibit.
Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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