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Serving as chair of the commission is Marilyn Kushak, the current
chair of the Springfield Readiness Committee, which focuses on
Lincoln and other Springfield area attractions. Kushak was past
chair of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. She has an
extensive marketing background, is involved in many Springfield area
civic organizations and is co-owner of Widow at Windsor Antiques in
Springfield. Vice chairs of the commission are Ed Carroll, Julie
Cellini and Jan Kostner. Carroll serves as chair of the Department
of History at Heartland Community College in Normal. Cellini was a
driving force behind the establishment of the Abraham Lincoln
Presidential Library and Museum and is the current chair of the
board of trustees of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. She
was appointed by President George W. Bush as a member of the
National Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Kostner is the
deputy director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity. Jerry Blakemore, who is general counsel for Southern
Illinois University, will serve as treasurer of the commission.
"I am pleased and energized to play a leadership role in working
with the exemplary members Governor Blagojevich has appointed to the
Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, along with
Coordinator Kay Smith," said Kushak. "It will be an extraordinary
time in history to assist children, teens, adults and seniors to
actively participate in celebrating and dignifying the 200th
birthday of Illinois' hero, President Abraham Lincoln!"
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 The Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission serves to
promote a deeper knowledge, understanding and engagement of the life
and times of Abraham Lincoln through conferences, publications,
preservation of Lincoln sites, and with local, statewide and
national observances commemorating Abraham Lincoln's birthday on
Feb. 12, 2009.
In February 2006, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich signed an executive
order establishing the Illinois
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. As 2009 approaches, the
commission will work closely with the governor's office, state and
local government agencies, members of the Illinois General Assembly,
and organizations that are dedicated to commemorating the life of
Abraham Lincoln, in order to plan festivities in honor of the
bicentennial. The commission will submit an annual report to the
governor and the General Assembly. The commission will also work
with the national
Abraham
Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, created by Congress to
coordinate celebrations nationwide, including parades, exhibitions
and performances.
In April 2006, Blagojevich announced the members of the Illinois
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Members of the commission
include statewide constitutional officers, elected officials and
members representing academia, business, the arts, community
development, civil rights and historic preservation communities.
[Text from file received from
the Illinois
Historic Preservation Agency]
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