Executive Club Newsletter

August 2009

A Bug’s Life

Dr. May Berenbaum UI Entomologist

by Ellen Schmidt

Champaign Country Club
Thursday, August 20

11:30 a.m.: Registration and Networking

11:45 a.m.: Buffet Opens

12:15 p.m.: Mtg/Program

Dr. May Berenbaum brings her knowledge of Entomology; (a branch of zoology that deals with insects) applies it to life situations and offers a humorous distinction between the two. You won’t want to miss May’s presentation.

For more information on Dr. Berenbaum and her research visit: http://www.life.illinois.edu/entomology/faculty/berenbaum.html

Registrations are due by noon on Monday, August 17. Please indicate if you are bringing a guest. Register online now!

*Remember, there will be a $5 late fee for reservations received after the Monday Noon deadline. Attendees with late or no reservations will be permitted to attend as seating is available.

Pre-register online and send a check for $15 to ECCC, P.O. Box 61, Champaign, IL 61824-0061 OR pre-register online and pay on day of luncheon. Contact the Treasurer with questions about registration.

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Thanks for a Successful Year!

President’s Message

by Hope Wheeler

It is hard to believe that my year as President of ECCC is over. The year has been very busy and has flown by. I want to thank you for entrusting me in this role. I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with such a good board and great membership. I feel it was a successful year, with many events including, to name a few, the bus trip to see Dirty Dancing, the ARC outing, the Business Etiquette Dinner, the Stadium Tour, many casual get-togethers, and 11 monthly meetings with talented and educational speakers.

Another accomplishment this year was the addition of many new members. You, as membership, and the board, did a wonderful job in seeking out potential new members and inviting them to our meetings. I was very impressed by the number of guests at meetings and the number of applications we saw as a result. This is a testament to our club and membership.

My involvement in the club will not end here. I intend to look at a new and exciting opportunity to expand the services that ECCC can offer to business women in the community throughout my year as ex-officio. I encourage all of you to stay involved with ECCC and attend meetings and events regularly. We can all help to continue the strong tradition of providing business, networking, and educational opportunities to executive women in this community.

The Club will be in good hands in the upcoming year under the leadership of Jeannette Beck and I look forward to working with the incoming board members. A special thank you to all of the current board members--you worked hard all year and provided insightful guidance.

It was an honor to be the leader of a group of leaders such as this. I learned a lot along the way from all of you and have made good friends. I will end with a quote about leadership that I keep in my office and have wanted to share with all of you:

The essential task of leadership in business, in education, in family life, and in public life is to inspire, to teach, to act with courage, to live with honor and to show the way—Gerald Ford

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Get on the Bus!

Jersey Boys on Oct. 7

by Jeannette Beck

Join your fellow ECCC members for some shopping or lunch before the last midweek matinee showing of JERSEY BOYS and as always, we will have plenty of food and drinks on the bus.

On October 7 we will depart from the County Market on Glenn Park Drive parking lot at 7:30 a.m. and will return at approximately 8:00 p.m. A continental breakfast will be served soon after departure. The bus will make two stops; one in the loop at the Macy’s State Street store and the second stop will be near Water Tower Place on North Michigan Avenue. Lunch is on your own. Snacks and wine will be served on the return trip.

Early registration price will be $ 70 for members until September 1st;

price after September 1st will be $ 80. Registration opens to ECCC member guests after September 1st.

Registration includes theater ticket, transportation, food and beverages on the bus. SPACE IS LIMITED TO 40 PEOPLE; THERE ARE 20 SPOTS LEFT. SO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION AND SEND IN YOUR PAYMENT TO CONFIRM YOUR SPOT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Register online now!

Here is a link to the show’s website: http://www.jerseyboysinfo.com/chicago/

Warning: Authentic New Jersey profane language is used frequently in this show.

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July Speaker Summary

Terri Sullivan, UI Softball Coach

by Ellen Schmidt

Terri Sullivan, University of Illinois Softball can be best described as enthusiastic and high energy. Coach Sullivan began her talk with a letter from her sister to her parents during her first few months away at college. It was a humorous letter citing some pretty horrible scenarios in order to give her parents perspective into the fact that she was getting poor grades at school.

Sullivan talked about her schedule during the “off” season. The assistant coaches and players go through a process of self evaluation as to their strengths and weaknesses and how they might improve.

Coach Sullivan focuses on what motivates her players and staff in order to assist them in being the best they can be. She encourages them to focus on their personal and professional goals as well as team goals.

Because she is the first softball coach at the UI, she has created a bible with quotations to inspire the team. She includes the 3 Golden Rules: 1. Compete Hard. 2. Be accountable and responsible. 3. Have a positive attitude.

Before she answered questions she told us her “top secret.” The numbers 212. (as in degrees) 211 is the temperature at which water is hot. 212 degrees is the point at which water boils causing steam. Steam can power a locomotive, demonstrating that small things can make a tremendous difference. One extra degree can make all the difference.

She closed with the quote that her parents live by and encourage her to live by, “People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln

More about 212 can be found at: http://www.just212.com/

A complete biography of Coach Sullivan can be found at: http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/w-softbl/mtt/sullivan_terri00.html