2016 Guests of Honor
Outstanding Young Alumnus Award
Maurice Cheeks '07
Maurice Cheeks has blazed his own path to success, which began by earning a bachelor’s
degree in career and organizational studies from EIU in 2007. After being recruited
to Madison, Wisconsin, to work for Apple, Cheeks continued his education through executive
courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Business. Today he serves
as the vice president of business development for MIOsoft, the industry-leading big
data quality and analytics company. He is also a locally-elected official, currently
serving in his second term as a member of the Madison City Council. Since moving to
Madison, Cheeks has lent his expertise and leadership to several non-profit organizations.
He is a board member of the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools, a founding board
member of the Wisconsin chapter of the New Leaders Council and serves as a member
of the steering committee for ScaleUpMilwaukee, a planning agency for boosting economic
development in Wisconsin's largest city. Cheeks says the driving force behind his
public service is to ensure Madison is a national example for other cities on innovating
in order to eliminate opportunity gaps, increase citizen engagement and purposefully
design infrastructure to support future population growth. These efforts have all
seen his name added to In Business Magazine’s list of the 25 Most Influential People in Greater Madison and Madison365's list of
the 28 Most Influential African-Americans in Wisconsin.
Louis V. Hencken Alumni Service Award
Matt Davidson '82 '84
EIU is known for its strong tradition of service, and Matt Davidson serves as a living
tribute to that cause. Paraphrasing one of his nominating letters, “Matt has done
many things throughout his career which have resulted in not just a better EIU, but
a better Illinois.” He is a steadfast community volunteer representing and supporting
numerous organizations—EIU included. His advocacy for the university is well-known
throughout the state, and he is often referred to by others as one of EIU’s most influential
cheerleaders. From there, his roles as both a volunteer and EIU activist flourished.
He is a member of EIU’s School of Technology advisory board as well as a member of
the Panther Club. In addition to starting an alumni chapter in Springfield and coordinating
the university’s first alumni golf outing in that area to raise money for scholarships,
he also has served as president of the EIU Alumni Association, of which he is a lifetime
member. Throughout his career as a legislative director and in the private sector,
the Champaign resident, has earned widespread commendation for his steadfast dedication
to the EIU community and its stakeholders. Davidson, who also received the Outstanding
Service Award from the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation (7,000
employees were eligible) for his service to the department, legislators and the citizens
of Illinois, is currently a business development manager for the Farnsworth Group.
Distinguished Educator Award
PJ Caposey '04
PJ Caposey has moved up quickly since beginning his career as a teacher in Chicago
in 2005. He was named assistant principal at Rockford’s Auburn High School and began
serving as principal at Oregon High School in 2009, helping it earn recognition as
one of the nation’s best high schools by US News & World Report and Newsweek. At 35, he is the now one of the state’s youngest superintendents, representing the
Meridian Community Unit School District in Stillman Valley since 2013. Along the way,
Caposey’s contributions have been praised at every level. In addition to being a recipient
of the Illinois Principals Association’ Horace Mann Partners in Education award, Caposey
was recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education’s “Those Who Excel” program
and by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development as an Emerging Leader
and a Top Educator Under 40 through its Outstanding Young Educator Program. The districts
where he has served have also received numerous awards under his leadership. Caposey
has published two books on school and teacher improvement and his writing has been
featured by the Huffington Post and Edutopia. He is an energetic speaker and sought-after presenter whose passion for education
will continue to drive his success in the field for years to come.
Harry Cavanaugh '69
With a career in education spanning six decades, Harry Cavanaugh has proven time and
again his commitment to education and the students and communities he’s served. After
graduating from EIU in 1969, Cavanaugh spent three decades as a business education
teacher, guidance counselor and principal at Bunker Hill High School. From there,
he used his skills as an educational leader to serve as principal at Gillespie High
School – the school where he earned his high school diploma – before continuing his
career as superintendent of Lebanon Community Unit School District 9 in until his
retirement in 2010. Retirement didn’t last long, however. His passion for education
brought him to Peter and Paul Catholic School in Alton, where he currently serves
as principal. His true dedication may be best revealed through his decision to also
teach English there—with no additional compensation—ultimately helping the school
to continue serving students in the highest manner possible without having to fund
additional salaries. Cavanaugh also created a Wall of Honor at Gillespie High School
and initiated the distinguished alumni awards at Ss. Peter and Paul to recognize the
successes of the schools’ former students. In each position he’s held and at every
school, he’s been known to greet the students with a smile each morning, helping to
start their day on a positive note and to create within its walls an unmatched culture
of cheerfulness and caring.
Distinguished Alumna/us Award
Kathy Bollinger '77, '78
Kathy Bollinger, who has served as the executive vice president of Banner Health’s
University Medical Division in Phoenix since 2015, has spent more than three decades
in leadership positions with the organization including president of the Arizona West
Region, CEO of Banner Estrella Medical Center and CEO of Banner Heart Hospital. Banner,
a not-for-profit tasked with operating 23 hospitals and specialized facilities, is
one of the nation’s largest employers with 39,000 staff members and also the largest
private employer in Arizona. In her current role she is responsible for oversight
of the University of Arizona Medical School’s relationship with Banner Health and
co-chairs the newly-formed Academic Management Council, a governance structure for
Banner Academics. In addition, in 2015 she was named one of Arizona’s 12 most influential
women in commercial real estate for her role in negotiating the acquisition of the
University of Arizona Health Network and affiliation with the University of Arizona.
A certified Hudson Coach, Bollinger is also involved in a number of community and
volunteer groups including Athena Powerlink, Prehab of Arizona and the Provost’s Leadership
Council for Arizona’s School of Health Sciences.
Steve Corbin '13
Steve Corbin has enjoyed an incredibly successful career of nearly 40 years in the
music industry while working with and promoting some of the world’s biggest acts.
Currently senior vice president of sales, counsel and culture with Warner Music Group
in New York City and chief executive officer of Lupo Entertainment, he has also held
executive-level positions with Universal Music Group, Motown, Sony Music, Mercury,
MCA, Def Jam and Polygram. While under his leadership, MCA rebuilt its reputation
as one of the top R&B labels in the music business and while at Motown he led the
label’s 40th anniversary marketing efforts, including a Super Bowl halftime show and worldwide
catalog sale. Along the way, he’s also had the opportunity to work with renowned artists
ranging from Stevie Wonder and The O’Jays to Mary J Blige, Boyz II Men and The Roots.
As CEO at Lupo, he oversees an emerging artist management and consulting organization
offering a wide range of services to its clients and two of his artists have appeared
on American Idol and The Voice. Corbin first came to EIU in 1974, arriving to play
football for the Panthers, but left the university early before re-enrolling to complete
his degree through the School of Continuing Education more than three decades later.
Earlier this summer he began pursuing his graduate degree when he enrolled in EIU’s
online MBA program.
Joe Fatheree '89, '05
Joe Fatheree, an award-winning author, educator, and filmmaker, exemplifies how EIU
can help students follow their passions to find and create their own success. He has
received numerous educational awards, including being named Illinois Teacher of the
Year in 2007 and a recipient of the National Education Association’s National Award
for Teaching Excellence in 2009. He was also recently named one of the Top 10 Teachers
in the World by the Varkey Foundation, a not-for-profit organization established to
improve the standards of education for underprivileged children throughout the world.
Currently, Fatheree serves as the instructor of creativity and innovation at Effingham
High School and is a past president of the Illinois Teacher of the Year Association,
a founding board member of Advance Illinois, and currently serves as the National
Network of State Teachers of the Year’s Director of Strategic Projects. A past committee
member for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and ITVS/Independent Lens, his television
work has aired nationally on PBS, The Documentary Channel, Hulu, and the MLB Network.
As a producer he has received three Mid-America Emmy awards, and he is also the former
president and chief education officer of Mutasia Entertainment.
Nancie King Mertz '77
After she began painting and selling work as a teenager, Nancie King Mertz further
unleashed her inner passion in college, eventually earning a master of arts degree
from EIU in 1979. Twice named Chicago Artist of the Year as a studio artist and business
owner in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Mertz and her work are being recognized
on a more global scale thanks to her paintings catching the eye of producers and being
featured on the set of the popular CBS prime-time drama “The Good Wife” and numerous
other Chicago-based TV shows. Through her active involvement in professional art organizations,
she has contributed her time, talents and leadership to the betterment of the arts
community. She has also been the recipient of awards and Master designation from several
arts organizations, including the Pastel Society of America, the International Association
of Pastel Societies, Plein Air Easton, and the Pastel Journal. A highly regarded instructor
who teaches workshops worldwide, her talent for art combined with her proclivity for
business has earned Mertz honors as the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce Business
Person of the Year and Small Business of the Year as well as the Network of Women
Entrepreneurs’ Woman of the Year. Mertz’s oils and pastels are Impressionistic in
style and she paints more than 100 pieces annually, having travelled to more than
20 countries for inspiration to paint on-site. She is a charter member of the Arcola
High School Hall of Fame and was also honored as a 2009 recipient of the Outstanding
Graduate Alumni award by the EIU Graduate School.
Lawrence Tucker '89 '91
Lawrence Tucker has demonstrated his interest in personal relationships and public
service throughout his entire life. During his time as an EIU undergraduate, that
commitment was revealed through the pride he exhibited in connecting to other students,
including helping them prepare for life in college. It’s those same qualities that
put him on a trajectory for a position with the Department of Homeland Security as
a special agent in the United States Secret Service (USSS). With more than 20 years
of experience as a federal law enforcement official, he has held key positions including
resident agent in charge of a USSS field office and serving as the deputy special
agent in charge of the agency’s security clearance division, where he led a staff
tasked with managing multiple top-level security programs. Tucker has also worked
as a supervisory protective agent in the presidential protective division, providing
leadership and establishing robust operations for a complex unit tasked with providing
round-the-clock protection to the President of the United States and the First Family.
He was recently promoted and appointed the deputy special agent in charge of the Obama
protective detail, which gives him the responsibility to create and staff the unit
as President Obama transitions from office. Having previously served as a military
intelligence officer, Tucker has received numerous commendations including a Distinguished
Service Award from the USSS for his service on 9/11.
Randy Wright '70
Randy Wright’s life has revolved around helping other people. It’s a commitment he
shared as a student at EIU and one that he’s exhibited throughout his 40-plus year
career as a hospital administrator. He spent the majority of that time at Methodist
Hospital in Houston, where he worked from 1979 to 2000, climbing the organizational
ranks quickly and ultimately serving as senior vice president. Wright retired in January
of this year after serving as the executive vice president and chief operating officer
of Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital—the largest children’s hospital in the nation—where
he had overall responsibility for a major portion of the facility’s clinical operations.
In addition to demonstrating his continued compassion for helping people through his
leadership in healthcare, Wright has also been a significant contributor of his time
and philanthropic support to EIU. He was a member of the College of Sciences Advisory
Board for several years and his philanthropic efforts have helped the university fund
a variety of scholarships as well as supported the creation and maintenance of a high-powered
telescope and observatory project on campus. The observatory has become the cornerstone
of the university’s astronomy concentration and even resulted in helping EIU students
discover new asteroids. Wright was also fundamental in creating a link between EIU
and the Astronomical Research Institute, a private research observatory for NASA that
scans the skies for potentially hazardous near earth objects.