Chicago Illini of the Year Award (Est. 1997)
Co-sponsored by the University of Illinois Alumni Association and the Chicago Illini Club, this award recognizes the accomplishments of Chicago-area graduates of the University. Up to three distinguished alumni who live and work in Chicago or a Chicago suburb are honored each year.
Maj. Gen. James H. Mukoyama Jr, ’65 LAS, MA’66 LAS
Maj. Gen. James H. Mukoyama Jr. retired from the U.S. Army in 1995, after more than 30 years of total active and reserve service, including combat tours where he served in the demilitarized zone in the Republic of Korea and commanded the 9th Infantry Company Division in Vietnam.
Mukoyama holds the distinctions of being the youngest general officer in the Army in 1987 and subsequently the youngest major general three years later. In 1989, he became the first Asian-American in U.S. history to command an Army division. Among his decorations and badges are the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, three Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.
Since his retirement, Mukoyama has volunteered and participated in numerous governmental and non-profit charitable organizations. He recently published his first book, Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader (Jocko Publishing, 2023).—DAVID A. SCOTT
Paul Lisnek, ’80 LAS, MA’80 LAS, JD ’83, PHD ’86 LAS
Paul Lisnek is a multi-Emmy, Cablefax, Telly, Communicator, and Beacon Award winning television host and analyst who has served as a political and legal analyst for Chicago’s WGN-TV since 2008. He is the host of “WGN-TV Political Report” seen every Sunday morning at 9 a.m., on which he interviews the leading political figures in the city, state and country. On wgnradio.com, he hosts the popular podcast “Paul Lisnek Behind the Curtain,” addressing theater and the arts along with politics and law.
During his 35-year career in broadcast journalism, Lisnek also worked for Comcast Network, CNN and NBC. He has interviewed presidents, governors, senators, congressmen, local representatives and mayors too numerous to count.
While practicing law in the 1980s and ’90s, Lisnek served as assistant dean at Loyola Law School Chicago, and taught at DePaul, Pepperdine and the U. of I. Lisnek is the author of 15 books, including Assume Guilt (Written Dreams Publishing, 2018) and Assume Treason (Written Dreams Publishing, 2021).
2019
Richard J. Sieracki, '74 ENG
Jill Wine-Banks, '64 MEDIA
2018
Thomas DiSanto, '87 ACES
Dr. Elizabeth Pieroth, '88 LAS
Steven Thayer, '88 LAS
2017
Rebecca A. Snyders Darr, ’90 LAS
Mary Kay Kretch Haben, ’77 BUS
Judge James F. Holderman Jr., ’68 ACES, JD ’71
2016
William T. Barry, ’77 BUS
Phillip C. Goldstick, ’53 BUS
Craig W. Vodnik, ’92 ENG
2015
Dr. Pedro J. Cevallos-Candau, MS ’77 ENG, PHD ’80 ENG
Co-Founder, CEO and President of Primera Engineers Ltd.Jeanne K. Gang, ’86 FAA
Founder and Principal of Studio Gang ArchitectsHoward T. Griffith, ’91 LAS
Former NFL Player, Lead in-studio analyst for the Big Ten Network and a co-host for ESPN-Radio Chicago
2014
Carrie J. Hightman, ’79 LAS
Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer, NiSource Inc.Stephen D. Bardo, ’90 LAS
College Basketball Analyst, ESPN, Big Ten Network and Fox Sports 1
2013
Jesse H. Ruiz, ’88 LAS
Partner, Drinker Biddle & Reath LLPCelene Peurye-Hissong, ’74 LAS, MSW ’76
Principal Focused PhilanthropyRyan Baker, ’91 MEDIA
Sports Anchor/Director, WBBM-TV/CBS 2 Chicago
2012
Carol Hillsman Sagers, ’79 MEDIA
Founder and Consultant, CHS Marketing ConsultantsSamuel Mendenhall, ’88 CBA (UIC), JD ’91 LAW
Equity Partner Winston & StrawnThe Hon. Timothy C. Evans, ’65 LAS
Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County
2011
Howard M. Katz, ’82 ACES
Senior Executive Vice President Lettuce Entertain You EnterprisesMary Frances Fagan, ’76 MEDIA, MA ’83 LAS
Director, Corporate Communications, American AirlinesG. Thomas Castino, ’60 ENG
Retired President and CEO Underwriters Laboratories
2010
Richard C. Romano, ’54 LAS
Founder & Chairman, Romano Brothers & Co.Robert D. Kleinschmidt, ’63 FAA
President, Powell/Kleinschmidt Inc.Ronald W. Bess, ’69 BUS, ’72 MEDIA
President and CEO, Euro RSCG Chicago
2009
Avy H. Stein, '77 BUS
Managing partner, Willis Stein & Partners LLCCirilo A. McSween, '54 LAS
Owner, Cirilo McSween Insurance Agency, Founder and President, Black McDonald's Operators AssociationGail Veasman Kellogg, '65 LAS
Retired Principal, partner and Consultant, Hewitt Associates
2008
Paul Schrage, MS ’59 MEDIA
Retired Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s Corp.Sheldon B. Rubin, ’64 LAS, ’66 VM, DVM ‘68
Former Owner and Director Emeritus, Blum Animal Hospital, AuthorCaroline Becker Joss, ’84 ACES
Co-founder and designer, Caroline Rose Inc.
2007
Roger Plummer, ’64 ENG
President & CEO, Plummer & Associates ConsultingRobert Falls, ’76 FAA
Artistic Director, Goodman TheatreRichard Cline, ’57 LAS
Chairman & Director, Hawthorne Investors, Inc., Managing Partner, Hawthorne Investments, LLC
2006
Pamela Bristow Strobel, ’74 MEDIA, JD ’77 LAW
Retired Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, Exelon CorporationJohn David Mooney, MFA ’65 FAA
Founder and Artistic Director, John David Mooney FoundationHoward Engle, ’72 BUS
Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP
2005
Thomas Miner, JD ’53 LAW
President of Thomas H. Miner & Associates, Inc., Chair and Founder of Mid-America, Committee for International Business and Government CooperationJack Klues, ’77 MEDIA
Chairman and CEO, Starcom MediaVest GroupCarol Ross Barney, ’71 FAA
Founder and President, Ross Barney & Jankowski
2004
Cary D. McMillan, ’80 BUS
Chief Executive Officer, Sara Lee Branded ApparelW. Gene Corley, ’58 ENG, MS ’60, PHD ’61 ENG
Senior Vice President for Engineering, Construction Technology Labs, Inc., Head of Federal Investigation into Collapse of World Trade Center BuildingsCorinne J. Wood, ’76 LAS
Former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
2003
Robert P. Crawford, ‘59 MEDIA
Retired “Dean” of Chicago Broadcast Journalists, more than 40 years with CBS and WBBMDr. Emiel Hamberlin, ‘77 EDM, ‘83 EDD
Biology and Horticulture Teacher at DuSable High School Inductee, National Teachers’ Hall of Fame; Golden Apple AwardDoris Christopher, ‘67 ACES
Chair and Founder, The Pampered Chef
2002
Ralph Johnson, ‘71 FAA
Director of Design, Perkins & WillEli Cohen, ‘55 ENG
Principal Engineer, Thornton Tomasetti EngineersCheryl Berman, ‘74 MEDIA
Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett USA
2001
Thomas Tunney, ‘77 ACES
President, Ann Sathers RestaurantsMark Tebbe, ‘83 ENG
Chair and Founder, Lante CorporationMary Dempsey, MS ‘76 GSLIS
Commissioner, Chicago Public Library
2000
Arnold Weber, ’50 LAS, AM ’51 LIR, HON ‘97
President Emeritus, Northwestern UniversityLynn Martin, '60 LAS
Chair, Deloitte Touche's Council on the Advancement of Women, former U.S. Secretary of LaborAvis LaVelle, '75 MEDIA
V.P. for Government & Public Affairs, University of Chicago Hospitals, former Press Secretary for Mayor Richard M. Daley
1999
Sam Skinner, '60 BUS
Capital Partner & Co-chairman, Hopkins & Sutter Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and U.S. Chief of StaffJohnny "Red" Kerr, '54 ALS
President, Kerr Financial Services Announcer for Chicago Bulls Basketball TeamNicole Hollander, '60 FAA
Sculpter, writer, creator of comic strip “Sylvia”
1998
Sheldon Good, '55 BUS
Chairman Emeritus, Sheldon Good & CompanyTonise Paul, '79 MEDIA, MS '80 MEDIA
President and CEO, BBDO ChicagoLester McKeever Jr., '55 BUS
Managing Principal, Washington, Pittman & McKeever
1997
Joel Weisman, '63 BUS
News Analyst and Private Attorney, Siegman & Weisman, LtdCarol Marin, '70 LAS
News anchor, CBS NewsRoger Ebert, '64 MEDIA
Film Critic, Author