Advocus National Title Insurance Company

The 81 honorees on Crain's Notable Nonprofit Board Leaders lend their professional skills and connections to champion nonprofit missions and enrich our communities. Congratulations to the honorees: John Atkinson - Intersect Illinois Salman Azam - Downtown Islamic Center Austin Baidas - Howard Brown Health Thomas Baryl - The Auditorium Theatre Debbie Berman - Anti-Defamation League; Jewish United Fund Peter Birnbaum - The Jesse White Foundation Steven Blonder - The Ark Kate Boege - Chicago Public Library Foundation Craig Bondy - Communities In Schools of Chicago Christine B. - Carole Robertson Center for Learning Mel Brooks - Habilitative Systems Inc. Tracy Burcham - Shriners Children's Chicago Inger Burnett-Zeigler - Thresholds Elsie Cardell - Ladies of Virtue Michael Chico, CFA - Esperanza Health Centers Sandya Dandamudi - DuSable Museum of Black History & Educational Center Rebecca Darr - WINGS Program Venita Fields - James B. Moran Center for Youth Advocacy Ed Fiorentino - Clearbrook Sally Fletcher - Friends of the Chicago River Bonnie Fong - Chinese American Service League Jeremy C. Foster - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago Esther (ET) Franklin - The Family Institute at Northwestern University John Gilligan - A Better Chicago Marion Gross - Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana Robert Hallberg - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago Mary Hasten - Start Early Jon Hennessy - Defy Ventures Illinois; Hughes Charitable Foundation Darryl Henry - Genesys Works Chicago Stefanie Hest - Share Our Spare Nicola Halsall Idehen - Adler University DeAnna Ingram Jones - TASC, Inc. (Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities) Harold Israel - Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning & Leadership Manny Jimenez - Poder Kenneth Johnson - LINK Unlimited Scholars Ronald Kaminski - Chicago Commons Anne Kaplan - The Joffrey Ballet Lori Kaufman - AIDS Foundation Chicago Katie Kazas - The Goldie Initiative Julia Lissner - Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago Honorees continued in comments...

My November message for the team: HERO We all see or hear this word, HERO, and it carries weight. To most of us, there is a hero or two in our lives that immediately comes to mind that may have helped to shape our lives, helped us grow, or helped us overcome adversity. But have you ever looked up the true definition of the word? Hero - a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. It's easy to recognize a hero when their impact is obvious to the masses, but in my world I encounter those heroes that the masses may not be looking for. And in our jobs, we have the opportunity to BE one. These attributes of courage, outstanding achievements, and noble qualities are present in everyday actions and, as we closed out one of the most successful months of the year, I had the privilege of witnessing so many heroes disguised, as Clark Kent was, behind a simple "pair of glasses." They stayed late to get that CD, or check, or package out. They came in early to help get their team ready for the day. They gave an encouraging word or a helping hand when their co-worker was about to fall apart. They never gave up. I want to encourage you to look around at your everyday heroes. They are sitting to your left or your right, across town or across the screen. We are surrounded by heroes, and I am encouraged by the courage, outstanding achievements, and noble qualities that this team continues to exude. As we go into the season of Thanksgiving, I am Thankful for a team of HEROES! Until our next glass of Lemonade, Lynne