Stern’s theater recognized among top 20 in world
Big Picture, a Seattle movie theater owned by alumnus Mark Stern and wife Katie Stern, has been recognized as one of the top 20 movie theaters in the world by Men’s Journal.
“Years ago, my wife, Katie, and I created a boutique movie theater company called Big Picture as an alternative to the cookie-cutter multiplex movie theater experience,” Stern said. “Part of our goal was to create the very first movie theater on the West Coast to serve liquor – very taboo in the day – where you could watch a first-run movie and enjoy a cocktail.”
Guests have the option to have a cocktail delivered to their theater seats and receive popcorn served in champagne buckets.
Stern received a bachelor’s degree in communication-media studies from NIU in 1982.
Ellen Dean
Dean heads economic development in Gurnee
Ellen Dean became the economic development director for Gurnee this year and acts as the liaison between the village hall and the business community.
Dean said that retaining businesses in Gurnee begins with good government, moderate and predictable costs of doing business, available labor force, transportation options and a community where executives and employees want to live and work.
Dean previously worked for the village of Downers Grove for 10 years, including serving as economic development director. After working 10 years for Downers Grove, she and her family moved to Glenview, where she worked as the economic developer manager from 2007 to 2014.
She received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Michigan State University and her master’s degree in public administration from Northern Illinois University.
Dee named senior VP of Avexis
Avexis Inc., a leading gene therapy company that develops treatments for rare and life-threatening neurological genetic diseases, has hired Thomas J. Dee as senior vice president and chief financial officer.
Dee will be responsible for all aspects of the company’s finance functions, including treasury, tax and controllership.
Prior to Avexis, he worked as an independent consultant to support startup businesses after having a successful 24-year career with Abbott Laboratories, where he most recently served as vice president of finance operations. Before joining Abbott, he worked for Arthur Andersen LLP and Carson Pirie Scott.
Dee serves as a member of the board of directors of Altus Academy and the board of trustees for Cristo Rey St. Martin College Prep. He is a founding member of the Impact Engine Angel Network in Chicago and is active at NIU, serving on the board of the NIU Alumni Association’s Leadership Forum and as a member of the Council for Social Entrepreneurship.
Maurice Richards
Richards named police chief in West Virginia
Maurice “Maurey” Richards has been appointed as the police chief of Martinsburg, W.Va.
Richards previously worked for the Chicago Police Department for 24 years from 1991 until 2015. He served as police lieutenant in south Chicago since 2006 and supervised nearly 120 officers as watch commander and captain.
He holds a doctorate in education from Northern Illinois University, a master’s degree in criminal justice from Chicago State University, a master’s degree in public administration from Governors State University and a B.A. from Chicago University.
Lt. Col. Williams joins FEMA
Lt. Col. Richard Williams (U.S. Air Force, retired) has joined the ranks of the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a senior level attorney adviser.
FEMA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing and responding to domestic disasters, including acts of terror.
Williams, a native of Bureau County, Ill., graduated from the former Western High School in Buda in 1989 and then enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served in the Army’s Military Intelligence Corps as a Russian translator and intelligence analyst. He left the Army after six years, received a master’s degree in criminal justice from Illinois State University in 1996 and a law degree from Northern Illinois University in 1999.
He worked for the LaSalle County state’s attorney’s office after graduating law school and then joined the Air Force as a judge advocate in 2001.
Williams recently concluded his military career following an assignment with Air Force Space Command, where he served as chief of criminal law and chief of contracts and acquisitions. He was the principal government legal adviser of space and cyberspace contracting efforts. He retired from active duty service in July after 20 years of military service.
Michael Grubich
Grubich becomes senior VP at Aurora Health Care
Michael Grubich has been named senior vice president of learning and development for Aurora Health Care.
Grubich will provide overall strategic direction for identifying, developing and implementing organizational development initiatives, including executive and leadership development, employee development, performance management and succession planning.
Prior to joining Aurora, he served as a global human resources executive for CNH Industrial in Racine, where he led global human resources for CNH’s aftermarket business and its product development and engineering organization. He has also held human resources directorships at Kohler Co.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in enterprise business management from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree in business administration from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management.
Rachel Lange Skaggs
Skaggs hired as city manager of Princeton
The city of Princeton, Ill., has hired Rachel Lange Skaggs as its city manager.
Skaggs is familiar with the area, as she is originally from Walnut, Ill., and graduated from Bureau Valley High School.
She most recently worked as a management analyst for the village of Schaumburg and also in Montgomery, Ill. Her qualifications include managing substantial capital and general budgets, developing utility policies, improving economic development initiatives and working with multiple collective bargaining units.
She has a master’s degree in public administration, with an emphasis on local government management, from Northern Illinois University.
Mary Katherine Scott
Scott appointed as acting director of UW’s international programs
Mary Katherine Scott, an international art historian and University of Wyoming instructor, has been appointed as acting director of UW’s international programs.
Scott, a visiting assistant professor of art history in UW’s Department of Art, received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and Spanish from UW in 2003, a master’s degree in Spanish from the UW in 2005, a master’s degree in art history from Northern Illinois University in 2008 and a Ph.D. in world art studies from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, U.K., in 2013.
She has taught art history and Spanish at UW since 2013 as a joint member of the Department of Art and the Department of Modern and Classical Languages.
Governor names Rowe-Sullivan as arbitrator
Peoria lawyer Melinda Rowe-Sullivan has been named by Gov. Bruce Rauner as an arbitrator for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.
Rowe-Sullivan has 12 years of experience specializing in workers compensation cases and most recently worked with the Peoria firm of Ganan and Shapiro.
The work requires her to conduct judicial hearings, render awards and decisions, and approve settlement contracts in accordance with statutory requirements of the Illinois Workers Compensation and Occupational Diseases Acts.
She is a graduate of the Northern Illinois University College of Law, holds a bachelor’s degree from NIU and has an MBA from Lewis University.
Becky Sneller
Sneller takes on special ed position
Becky Sneller has been hired to teach special education and general education math intervention at Weldon Valley High School in Fort Morgan, Colo., and previously taught special education in Keenesburg, Colo.
Originally from Batavia, Ill., Sneller graduated with a bachelor’s degree in equine science from Colorado State University and has a master’s degree in special education from Northern Illinois University, where she was a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
Sneller and her 7-year old son enjoy hiking, riding horses and traveling, and she is a volunteer at Mule Creek Therapeutic Riding Center in Roggen, Colo.
Jordan Yi
Yi joins Butler Elementary District 53
Jordan Yi is the new director of bands for Butler Junior High School in Oakbrook, Ill.
Yi was director of music at Thomas Jefferson High School in Rockford and is still an instructor with the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps in Rockford.
He has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Northern Illinois University.
Saundra R. Mickles
Mickles named interim superintendent in Riverdale
Saundra R. Mickles has accepted the position of interim superintendent of the Dolton-Riverdale school system in Riverdale, Ill.
She has worked for the school district for the last six years as assistant superintendent. Before that, she was principal at the district’s Washington Elementary School for five years and served for one year as principal at both Washington School and the former Jefferson School.
Mickles is a long-time south suburban resident with more than 30 years of experience in education, including having served as a human resources consultant in Thornton Township High School District 205. She also worked for several years as a music teacher in Chicago Public Schools. Additionally, she spent more than a decade as a parochial school teacher and served in the dual capacity of teacher and principal.
She has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Northern Illinois University, a master’s degree in administration supervision from Chicago State University and a doctorate in educational leadership and educational psychology from Loyola University in Chicago.
Dave Koch
Koch named medical practice director
Dave Koch has been named executive director for Lakeland Medical Practices and will oversee daily operations and guide the strategic direction for 34 physician offices throughout southwest Michigan.
Koch received a bachelor’s degree in business administration, management and operations from Indiana University and a master’s degree in business administration from Northern Illinois University.
He has nearly 30 years of health care management experience, including medical practice administration, clinical program management, strategic planning and business development.
Christine Sparks
Sparks becomes president of Illinois Land Title Association
Christine Sparks, vice president and managing attorney of claims and audit for Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund Inc., was recently installed as president of the Illinois Land Title Association.
ILTA is a statewide organization that provides professional-level education and government advocacy to companies in the business of insuring titles to real estate. These activities provide services and industry networking that expand ILTA member standing within the real estate community, while helping to protect consumers on property purchases.
The Aurora, Ill., resident joined ATG’s claims department in 2003 as a claims attorney. In addition to investigating and resolving title insurance claims, she provides direction and support to the audit department personnel in resolving member audit compliance issues. She is also a frequent author and speaker at ATG legal education programs.
Sparks, a former associate at the law firm of Jump & Associates, holds a Master of Laws in real estate from John Marshall Law School, Chicago, and a J.D. from DePaul University, Chicago.
She was the recipient of the Stanley W. Marion Real Estate Law Fellowship at John Marshall Law School and attended Northern Illinois University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree with honors.
The post Huskies Gain Honors, New Jobs appeared first on NIU Alumni Association.