Meet 25 Individuals Who Are Leaving Their Mark On Our Region Everyday heroes are all around us. Parents, emergency responders and teachers come quickly to mind. But what about the small-business owners, conservationists, philanthropists and quiet leaders among us? It’s easy to take for granted, but it’s important to recognize the many ways these heroes inspire us to dream more, ...
If You Build It Jason Anderson isn’t your typical economic development director. In his role for the City of Rochelle, he’s not only retaining and attracting business to southern Ogle County, but he’s also running a short-line railroad, an airport, an intermodal freight yard and the mechanisms that have attracted an incredible amount of growth in the Hub City. “In ...
Committed to the Small Town There was a time when Dr. Hana Hinkle dreamed of living the big-city lifestyle and making a major contribution to the medical world. As fate has a way of doing, she got her dream, albeit in a way she hadn’t anticipated. Today, the Oregon, Ill., native is assistant dean for rural health professions and the ...
One Event at a Time Nick Povalitis sees Rockford through a different lens than most people. It’s his job, after all, to find opportunities and fill gaps when it comes to attracting events and new visitors to his hometown. Povalitis graduated from Auburn High School before attending the University of Illinois, where he earned a journalism degree. He worked in ...
Right Place, Right Time Mary Cacioppi has never been afraid to take chances. Whether it’s jumping 14,000 feet from an airplane or swimming with stingrays, the Rockford native thrives on exploration. “I love trying new things,” she says. “I rely so deeply on my strong faith that I know everything is going to be OK.” So, it wasn’t really a ...
Helping Others Make the Grade Sitting in the maker lab at Rockford Public Library’s (RPL) Hart Interim Library, Leon Smith invokes a phrase he might have picked up from the philosophy courses he took at Rock Valley College and the University of Illinois. “Sometimes you choose your work,” he muses. “Sometimes it chooses you.” After retiring from the United States ...
Facing the Music Dr. Robert Tomaro’s life path was forever altered by jazz legend Django Reinhardt. “I was determined to be a working actor,” says Tomaro. “I had just graduated from the theater program at Northwestern University when someone played me one of Django’s records.” Tomaro quickly changed his tune. “I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to play like that,” ...
Her Community. Her Voice. Amy Nord’s outgoing personality and networking skills come in handy as the executive director of the Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce. “Being at the Chamber, you need to be an outgoing person and have the ability to connect with others,” she says. “My days are never the same, and that’s what makes this job so amazing. ...
A Servant’s Heart Patti Thayer Geissler is the kind of behind-the-scenes leader who puts others’ accomplishments in the spotlight. “I don’t believe we can do anything without a team,” says the owner of Thayer Energy Solutions, in Loves Park, Ill. “I don’t believe this business is a success without the right people.” Indeed, in business and volunteering Thayer Geissler surrounds ...
Drawing from Experience When Bruce Quast joined the Discovery Center Museum as an exhibits director in 1997, he wasn’t sure what he signed up for. “I was a graphic designer at the time, and I had been an office manager, so I had experience with logistics,” he says. “I think it was those two things that got me hired.” It ...