John Amaya
John Amaya joins Lipman
Florida-based Lipman, one of North America’s larger open-field tomato growers, has welcomed John Amaya to its team.
In his new role as chief development officer, Amaya will manage international supply chain and assist with acquisitions and go-to-market strategies that focus on the vegetable category.
Prior to joining Lipman, Amaya worked as vice president of global food and consumable sourcing for Walmart. He has also held positions in general and financial management for Dole Food Co., the Sara Lee Corp., Abbott Laboratories and Deloitte.
“We are fortunate to have someone of John’s caliber to fulfill this role,” said Kent Shoemaker, chief executive officer at Lipman. “His wealth of experience in international supply, along with his understanding of our industry, will assist us in continuing our growth strategy.”
Amaya is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and earned his master’s in business administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Denise Herrmann
Wisconsin educator named Gunn principal
Denise Herrmann, a Wisconsin administrator, has been chosen to serve as the new principal of Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif.
“Dr. Herrmann was enthusiastically supported by the Gunn teachers, students, parents and staff members who were part of the principal selection committee,” Gunn’s Superintendent Kevin Skelly said. “Her years of experience leading a school similar to Gunn will serve the students and school community well. I have rarely seen a closer match between a candidate’s skills and the expressed desires of a school community.”
Since 2006, Herrmann has been principal of Middleton High School in Middleton, Wis. She is credited with launching curriculum efforts, including working closely with community groups to forge partnerships that provide interventions and opportunities for students.
She began her career teaching science at St. Charles High School in St. Charles, Ill., in 1991. She became assistant principal of curriculum and instruction at St. Charles North High School in 2000 and continued there until landing the top job at Middleton High.
She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Northern Illinois University. In 2002, she completed her doctorate in education, with an emphasis on administration and curriculum leadership.
D118 approves assistant principal
Danville District 118 school board members have recommended Jennifer Richardson of Chicago as the new assistant principal of North Ridge Middle School.
Richardson, a Georgia native, graduated in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Georgia, a master’s in music education in 1997 from Northwestern University, a master’s in school business management in 2007 from Northern Illinois University and an administrator endorsement in 2011 from Northeastern Illinois University.
She was an elementary music teacher in Elgin during the 1997-1998 school year; an elementary and middle school music and drama teacher and curriculum coordinator for fine arts in Des Plaines from 1998-2011; and most recently site director for By the Hand Club for Kids in Chicago.
Michael Koscielny
Michael Koscielny joins Florida Peninsula Insurance
Florida Peninsula Insurance Co., one of the top 10 largest homeowners insurance companies in the state, has hired Michael Koscielny as director of underwriting.
Prior to joining Florida Peninsula, Koscielny served as assistant vice president of property and casualty underwriting at American Modern Insurance Group. With more than 35 years of experience in the insurance industry, his background includes working with the Auto Club Insurance Association, Kemper Insurance Personal Lines and Safeco.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University in 1980.
He serves on the Leadership Council of the National Society of CPCU (Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriters) and is a board member of the Underwriting Executives Council. His past leadership roles include serving as a board member of Insuring the Children (the industry charity in Cincinnati), a CPCU instructor for the Insurance School of Chicago, past president of the Central Michigan Underwriters Association and past president of the Cincinnati chapter of CPCU.
Patty Glines
Glines wins global award
Patty Glines, director of talent acquisition for CUNA Mutual Group, has been named the first-place winner of a global dissertation competition by the International Society for Performance Improvement.
Glines, whose dissertation was submitted as part of her doctorate work at Capella University, competed against an international field of candidates.
ISPI’s 2014 Distinguished Dissertation Award honors research excellence and the usefulness of the study in furthering the field of human performance. Her dissertation identified the benefits of organizations using knowledge management practices and their effectiveness in increasing organizational performance.
Glines joined CUNA Mutual Group in August 2005 after working for Accenture from 1997-2005. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Rollins College, a master’s degree in instructional technology from Northern Illinois University and a doctorate in training and performance improvement from Capella University.
Montreal signs QB Klein
The Montreal Alouettes have signed defensive back Chris Smith to a two-year contract.
“Chris will walk into the CFL with the ability to be one of the better bump and run corners,” said Jim Popp, general manager of the Alouettes.
Smith (5’10”, 186 lbs.) played three games with the St. Louis Rams in 2011 before joining the Tampa Bay Storm in the Arena League in 2013.
During his senior season with Northern Illinois University, he earned first-team All Mid-American Conference honors after recording 50 solo tackles and three interceptions, in addition to his 15 knockdowns.
John Nisivaco
Nisivaco re-elected to ISBA Board of Governors
John L. Nisivaco, a law partner of Boudreau & Nisivaco, has been re-elected to the board of governors of the Illinois State Bar Association.
The 27-member board oversees the operations and management of ISBA.
Nisivaco was appointed to the board in November 2010 and was subsequently elected to a three-year term in 2011. He was elected ISBA secretary in 2012 and previously served three terms on ISBA’s assembly. He is a past chair of ISBA’s Standing Committee on Judicial Evaluations and the Tort Law Section Council and is a former board member of the Illinois Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of ISBA.
Among his other professional and community activities, he is active in the American Association for Justice and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He is a former member of the Lyons Township Mental Health Commission and teaches litigation strategy at the DePaul College of Law.
A resident of LaGrange, he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Northern Illinois University in 1990 and received his law degree in 1993.