BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Executive Committee

( * indicates Life Director)

Wayne W. Whalen, Chair

Wayne W. Whalen is a partner of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, & Flom LLP. He is involved in the firm's corporate, financial and business practice. He has counseled, completed transactions and litigated on behalf of businesses, boards of directors, financial institutions, utilities and governments.

Mr. Whalen was an elected delegate and chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitutional Convention that wrote the Illinois Constitution of 1970. In a 1984 poll of lawyers by the Chicago Business Digest, he was named one of the 10 best corporate lawyers in the city. More recently, Crain’s Chicago's Who's Who cited Mr. Whalen as one of 30 leaders, which included two lawyers, who have been on its list every year since the list's inception 20 years ago.

Mr. Whalen was one of four lawyer appointees by the Illinois Supreme Court to its Blue Ribbon Committee, which reviewed and recommended a detailed revision of the court’s procedures for supervising and disciplining Illinois lawyers. 

William Doyle, Vice Chair

William Doyle is a tax partner in Winston & Strawn’s
Chicago office.    

Mr. Doyle is a member of the American Bar Association’s Income Taxation of Trusts and Estates Committee, the Chicago Bar Association’s Trust Law Committee, and the Chicago Estate Planning Council. 

Patrick Coburn, Vice Chair

Patrick Coburn, a native of Madison County, Illinois, began his career as a police reporter for the daily newspaper in Springfield in 1966 and retired from the State Journal-Register as publisher (CEO) in 2006. During his tenure, he held numerous leadership positions in journalism organizations including The Associated Press, United Press International, Mid-America Press Association and the Illinois Press Association. Professional honors include the Lincoln League of Journalists, SIU Master Editor, Eastern Illinois University Alumnus Hall of Fame, and the James Craven Freedom of the Press Award. An EIU alumnus, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in 2006.

Mr. Coburn’s volunteer civic activities have included Friend-In-Deed, a newspaper-based charity, Chancellor’s Advisory Board for the University of Illinois at Springfield, Downtown Springfield, Inc., Sangamon County Community Foundation, and Kids Voting Illinois.

Mr. Coburn resides in Springfield and Chicago.

Julie Cellini, Secretary

Julie Cellini is active in a range of historical and cultural activities, many of them in her adopted hometown, Springfield, Illinois.  For 20 years she was a driving force behind the creation of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum which opened in April
of 2005.

Mrs. Cellini was a founding member of the Foundation. She also served on the steering committee for the library's acquisition of the $25 million Taper Collection of Abraham Lincoln memorabilia, considered by historians and archivists to be the single most important privately held collection of Lincoln documents and artifacts. 

Mrs. Cellini is a graduate of Southern Illinois University's School of Journalism, she is a freelance writer and newspaper reporter who received Copley Press's Ring of Truth Award for feature writing; she was named Springfield's Preservationist of the Year and was named a "Woman of Achievement." Mrs. Cellini is in charge of special projects for her family-owned real estate development company with offices in Springfield and Chicago.

Sergio Pecori, Assistant Secretary

Mr. Sergio “Satch” Pecori, P.E., serves as president and CEO of Hanson Professional Services Inc., a national, employee-owned consulting firm providing engineering, architecture, planning and allied services. He directs the company’s senior-level management, develops and implements the firm’s strategic growth, and oversees operations in 20 offices nationwide. 

With 35 years of experience in the engineering industry, Mr. Pecori has a wealth of knowledge designing and managing complex projects throughout the U.S. and abroad. He also is highly regarded in the technical field, serving as an ambassador for the engineering profession in numerous leadership roles.

Throughout his leadership, Hanson has experienced significant growth and numerous recognitions, including recognition as a Top 500 Design Firm by Engineering News-Record and as one of the top 200 fastest-growing firms by ZweigWhite. 

In addition to his professional responsibilities, he is active in many industry and civic organizations at local, state and national levels. 

Craig Schermerhorn, Treasurer

Craig Schermerhorn is currently Managing Director/Branch Manager at Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., Springfield, Illinois branch. Additionally he serves as Chair of the Memorial Medical Center Foundation in Springfield. He resides on a working farm near Springfield with his wife, Gerry, and three children.

Craig earned an MBA in International Finance from Kent State University and a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois and holds the CFP Designation from the College for Financial Planning. Craig served eight years as an Air Force Officer attaining the rank of Major. He also taught Finance, Personnel and Business courses for the University of Maryland. Raised in both Northern Illinois and Ohio Craig moved to Springfield in 1974.

Kevin Callis, Assistant Treasurer

Kevin Callis is the Vice President of Operations at State Farm in Bloomington, Illinois. 

Mr. Callis received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Illinois Wesleyan University. He is an active supporter of his community and charitable organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the State Farm Classic, an LPGA tournament supporting charities throughout Central Illinois; Eureka College trustee; Illinois Manufacturers Association board member and
St. Jude-Midwest Affiliate board member.

Louis (Lou) G. Lower, II, Member At Large

Louis G. Lower II, was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Horace Mann Educators Corp. on Feb. 1, 2000.  Horace Mann is the largest multi-line insurance corporation focusing on the retirement planning and personal insurance needs of the educational community. 

In addition to being a Director of Horace Mann, Lower serves as a director of the PMI Group, a publicly held (NYSE) mortgage insurance company, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation and Memorial Health System.  Lower was a director and past chairman of the NEA Foundation, the Life Office Management Association (LOMA) and the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA),  and has served on the Boards of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association, Inc. (LIMRA), Life Underwriter Training Counsel (LUTC), National Association of Variable Annuities and the American College.

Before joining Horace Mann, Lower, 64, served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Allstate Life Insurance Company and prior to that served as Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer for both Allstate and Allstate Life.

Lower is an alumnus of Yale University, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in 1967. He earned a Masters of Business Administration Degree at Harvard University in 1970. 

Mary Yovovich, Audit Committee Chair

Mary Yovovich is a Chicago native and earned B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Chicago. She is a certified public accountant and started her career with Touche Ross & Co. (Deloitte). 

While raising a family, she focused on community work including service with the League of Women Voters, School District 39 PTO and the Duke University Parents’ Committee. She is active in the North Shore Auxiliary to Lawrence Hall Youth Services where she has served as treasurer and the University of Chicago Woman’s Board.  Mary has a strong interest in the founding of the United States, the Civil War and presidential leadership, especially that of Abraham Lincoln. A lifelong resident of the Chicago area Mary and her husband have two grown daughters.

Raymond F. McCaskey, Development Committee Chair

Ray McCaskey is the retired President and Chief Executive Officer of Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans in Illinois, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. Mr. McCaskey serves as the ALPL Foundation's Permanent Home Campaign Chair.  Mr. McCaskey also serves on the boards of Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Life Directions and the Lincoln Foundation for Performance Excellence. He is actively engaged with the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago Leads and Chicago United, and is Vice Chair of the Board of Regents at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa.

Mr. McCaskey earned a B.A. in Mathematics from Wartburg College and his Masters of Science degree in Mathematics from DePaul University. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Carrie J. Hightman, Nominating Committee Chair

Carrie J. Hightman is executive vice president and chief legal officer for NiSource Inc., a Fortune 400 energy firm. Her responsibilities include all legal functions, as well as environmental, health and safety. Prior to joining NiSource, Hightman served as President of AT&T Illinois, and was responsible for all regulatory, legislative, governmental and external affairs activities, as well as community and industry relations, throughout Illinois. Prior to that, Hightman practiced telecommunications and energy law for more than 17 years. She was a partner in the Chicago law firm of Schiff Hardin, where she led its Energy, Telecommunications and Public Utilities practice group.

Hightman serves as Chair of the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the State Universities Retirement System of Illinois.  She is a board member of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago Urban League and the Chicago Area Foundation for Legal Services.