Lance Pressl has devoted his professional life to understanding and improving the governmental process--an interest he first cultivated in high school when he served as president of student council. Dr. Pressl earned his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees from Northwestern University and also studied in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and at Magdalen College, Oxford University. Since graduating, he has had a distinguished career in business and government services.

Lance began his professional career working in state government as an analyst for the Illinois Bureau of the Budget and later as a Special Assistant to the Chairman for the Illinois Commerce Commission. In the private sector, he has held leadership positions at United States Capital Corp. and the Philip Morris Companies. Most recently, Lance has served as President of The Civic Federation, the nation’s oldest taxpayer watchdog organization. Lance is also the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from the 8th Congressional District of Illinois.

Lance was recently appointed by the Governor to a term on the Illinois Accountability Council. He served as President of the Illinois Arts Alliance, is co-chair of Friends of Rush Children’s Hospital, and is on the Board of the Night Ministry and Gallery 37. Married to cookbook author and e-business consultant, Martha Cotton, Lance resides in Rolling Meadows.

Karen Barnett Summerville
Class of 1976

Karen Summerville has devoted her life to music with great success. While attending Murray State University in Kentucky, where she received her B.A. and M.A. degrees with full tuition scholarships, Karen began teaching in her freshman year. By her junior year she was in demand as an instructor and directed two youth orchestras. Later, she became the coordinator of the university string program, The String Project, and was accepted in the Paducah, Owensboro, and Nashville Symphonies.

After finishing her education, Karen performed a variety of jobs prior to establishing The String Project, a music education center and retail outlet in Rolling Meadows. The String Project, named after her university program, has expanded and recently relocated to a larger facility and was at one time the only Illinois examination center for the Royal Conservatory Certification Program. Karen was named director of the Suburban Youth Symphony in 1988, and her business received the Rolling Meadows Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award in 1990.

Karen’s dedication, stamina, and entrepreneurship have enriched the entire community. As she states, "We like to perform at places like Church Creek to share what we love and spread a little happiness." She, her husband Tim, and daughter Shaina reside in Rolling Meadows.