2015-06-11



Divya Sarang

Sarang appointed associate judge

Divya Sarang has been appointed as an associate judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit and will take her position on the bench July 1.

For more than 20 years, she has worked at the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office and she chairs the Diversity Committee of the Kane County Bar Association.

Sarang graduated from Hindu College in Delhi. Before coming to the United States, Sarang was a lawyer in India and practiced before the Supreme Court of India.

After moving to the United States, she received a law degree from NIU and began her career as a defense attorney and conflict counsel in Winnebago County. In 1993, she joined the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.



Kyle Kiel

Kiel joins KWWL weather team

Kyle Kiel has joined the KWWL Storm Track 7 Team, which serves eastern Iowa.

Kiel comes to KWWL from WHBF in the Quad Cities.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in meteorology, with a minor in geography, from NIU, in 2013.

While at NIU, he was an active member of the student chapter of the American Meteorological Society.

In his spare time, Kiel enjoys running and being outdoors. He participates in several 5Ks annually and completed his first half marathon in 2014.



David Moyer

Moyer named Elmhurst superintendent

The Board of Education of Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 has named David A. Moyer as superintendent.

Moyer is completing his third year as the superintendent of Moline-Coal Valley District 40. He previously served as superintendent in Burlington, Wis., and as assistant superintendent for Community High School District 117, Lake Villa, Ill.

Known as an innovative visionary leader, Moyer was recognized by the governor as one of 21 regional superintendents of distinction in Illinois on April 21.

While superintendent in Moline, Moyer led the development of the district’s operational plan, resulting in the district balancing its budget and closing a shortfall in its education fund.

Under his leadership, the number of advanced placement offerings at the high school has more than doubled, the district will implement 1:1 computing in grades 5-12 in the fall and an inclusive classroom environment has been created for all students through co-teaching. In addition, a Physics First science curriculum will be launched at the high school in the fall of 2016. This curriculum represents a partnership with Purdue University to expand and improve programming for gifted students. Moyer also developed an articulated engineering partnership with Western Illinois University on behalf of District 40.

Moyer earned a doctorate in educational administration from Northern Illinois University in 2004. He holds master’s degrees in educational administration from NIU and sports administration from Eastern Kentucky University. As an English major, he completed a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Wisconsin. Once a middle school English teacher, Moyer’s previous leadership roles include assistant superintendent, principal, assistant principal and athletic director.

Since 2004, Moyer has served as an instructor for Aurora University and Western Illinois University. Community service includes his current position on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley and Renew Moline, as well as involvement in the Moline Rotary Club. A former college baseball coach, Moyer will be inducted into the Sheboygan A’s Baseball Hall of Fame on June 13.

David Gray

Gray honored with Outstanding Educator Award

The Illinois CPA Society will honor North Central College accounting professor David Gray with the 2015 Outstanding Educator Award.

The award recognizes Illinois college educators who excel in leadership and teaching and who make continuous and outstanding contributions to accounting education.

Gray is an associate professor and chair of the accounting department at North Central College. He joined North Central in 2007 with more than 15 years of public accounting and consulting experience. As chair, he works closely with CPA firms and other organizations to create and enhance internships and employment opportunities for North Central’s students. He has also worked on developing pedagogical tools and implementing technology to enhance students’ critical thinking and communication skills.

In addition to his roles at North Central, Gray is a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and operates his own consulting practice. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Millikin University and a master’s degree in accountancy from Northern Illinois University. He is also is a certified public accountant and a certified management accountant.

Drew Strauchen

Strauchen named VP at Haimer USA

Drew Strauchen has been named vice president of marketing and business development at the Villa Park-based Haimer USA, a producer of advanced tool holders and machine technology.

Strauchen, 36, was previously with OSG USA for 14 years. He received an engineering degree from Ohio University and an MBA from Northern Illinois University. He is a member of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the Young Executives Forum.

Manning recognized at College of DuPage

Donna Manning has been recognized as an outstanding adviser at the College of DuPage.

The college selects faculty and advisers for their excellence in teaching, service to the college, scholarly activities, community service and advising skills. Each will receive a monetary award from the College of DuPage Foundation.

Manning, a part-time student success counselor, joined the faculty of counseling and advising after many years as a high school counselor at Hinsdale Central High School.

She holds a master’s degree in counseling from Northern Illinois University.

Mason hired as Elgin’s football coach

Former NIU defensive back Anthony Mason has been hired as Elgin’s head football coach.

Mason will also teach physical education at Elgin High School and at Abbott Middle School.

He has been working as the athletic director and boys basketball coach at Hansberry College Prep in Chicago.

Mason was an All-Catholic League selection for Bishop McNamara Catholic High School. He then played at Valparaiso University before transferring to Northern Illinois University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2010.

Jerry Brittendall

Brittendall becomes managing director for construction company

White Electrical Construction Co. has hired Jerry Brittendall as managing director of business development.

Brittendall brings more than 30 years of marketing and management experience to the team. As managing director, he will lead strategic planning and marketing functions on a corporate level and will manage the business development team.

Over the years, he has served in management roles with engineering firms, a real estate development firm and a large general contractor.

He received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from NIU and took postgraduate courses in environmental engineering at Georgia Tech University.

Herrmann joins Chicago law firm

Kathleen Herrmann has been named a principal technical specialist in the Chicago office of Parsons Brinckerhoff, an engineering consulting firm.

In her new position, Herrmann, an attorney, will manage the drafting, review and interpretation of contracts and prepare grant requests for transportation infrastructure projects, primarily for the Illinois High-Speed Rail Program, which will offer high-speed train service between Chicago and St. Louis.

Herrmann comes to Parsons Brinckerhoff from a Chicago engineering firm, where she worked as a contracts manager to manage contracts and secure federal funding agreements for the Illinois High-Speed Rail Program. Previously, she was deputy general counsel at the Chicago Transit Authority and served as a liaison with the Chicago Transit Board.

She received a Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law, a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Northern Illinois University.

Frank Kupiec III

Kupiec becomes broker for LandQwest

LandQwest Commercial of Fort Meyers, Fla., has hired Frank Kupiec III as a broker associate.

Kupiec has been in the real estate business since 1995 and has closed more than $750 million in real estate and business transactions. He works with clients as a full-service transaction broker and an adviser on purchases, sales, leases, financing and partnership/corporate transactions.

For the past 10 years, Kupiec was principal at K3RE in Naples, Fla., where he specialized in restaurant and hotel brokerage and business sales and helped customers of all property types with site selection and lease/contract negotiations.

Kupiec, a Chicago native, earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from NIU and is a member of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, Lee County Hotel Association and the International Council of Shopping Centers.

James Farrelly

Farrelly joins Siegfried Group

James Farrelly has joined the Chicago market as a senior associate for The Siegfried Group, a leading national CPA firm.

He comes to Siegfried from KPMG, where he gained three years of audit experience with a focus in manufacturing.

He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accountancy from Northern Illinois University.

The post Career Moves, Awards for Alums appeared first on NIU Alumni Association.

Show more