Chairman

Vice Chairman

Nancy Hopp of Aurora, a long-time member of The Conservation Foundation, is a former trustee and treasurer for the Fox Valley Park District. Her professional background is in marketing and public relations. After retiring from Dreyer Medical Clinic in 2007, she completed an illustrated biography about pioneering Fox Valley artist Ruth Van Sickle Ford, which she self-published in 2011 under the business name PenWorks Press.

Nancy holds a B.A. (Social Sciences) and an M.S. (Business Management) from Aurora University. She has been an active community volunteer for 40 years. “Over the years, I was lucky to be involved in the development of the student nature trail at Waubonsee Community College, the walking path around Mercy Center hospital, and the renovation of the Healing Garden at Dreyer.”

Nancy lives in Aurora in her childhood home. She has a grown son and 5 grandchildren, for whom she has penned more than 40 short stories. The whole family enjoys water sports, the cultural arts, and the great outdoors.

“The Conservation Foundation gives me the opportunity to be active in programs for children, ones that get kids outside, that will make a difference in the future.  I also love the partnerships and collaborations.  We can do so much more if we work together.”

Treasurer

Thomas Schneider, joined The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees in 2008. Recently retired after 38 years with Molex where he ascended to the position of vice president, Tom was also a member of the Molex Executive Lead Team.

Tom graduated from Bradley University with a degree in mechanical engineering and lives with his wife, Marge, in Naperville.

Secretary

Thomas F. Bennington, Jr., an attorney and partner with Lawrence, Kamin, Saunders & Uhlenhop, concentrates his practice in business sales and purchases, commercial real estate, business succession planning, and related wills and trusts.

Tom has served the public in both civic and charitable activities, and is currently serving as a board member and executive committee member for United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, a board member and Vice President for the Boy Scouts of America, Des Plaines Valley Council, board member for the Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and as committee chair for Boy Scout Troop 99 in Downers Grove.

During Tom’s legal career, he has served many civic and charitable organizations, bringing his legal and political experience to positions that include commissioner, president, chair, board member or volunteer. Tom served as a County Board Member for DuPage County, Illinois from 1998–2010 and as a Commissioner for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. In these roles, Tom made land acquisition, policy, personnel and budgetary decisions for organizations which had combined budgets of over $600 million per year and over 2,000 employees.  During Tom’s time on the Forest Preserve Commission, land acquisition was a priority made possible, in part, by the efforts of The Conservation Foundation.  While serving on the DuPage County Board, Tom spearheaded the development and creation of the Southern DuPage Regional Trail, a 46 mile multi-use trail system which connects 11 communities across the southern half of DuPage County.

“The mission of The Conservation Foundation is near and dear to my heart. I grew up downstate along the Illinois River, where open space was taken for granted.  After moving to the suburbs and commuting to Chicago on a daily basis, I felt disconnected from the benefits which open space and interaction with the environment provide.  While on the Forest Preserve Commission of DuPage County and DuPage County Board, I was able to reconnect with my open space roots and help drive open space preservation, the development of multi-use trail systems and environmental awareness and education in DuPage County.  During that time, I became familiar with The Conservation Foundation and became a “true believer” in its work. I am honored to be part of The Conservation Foundation, its mission and its past and future impact on northeastern Illinois and its residents.”

Tom is an avid outdoorsman, who spends his time with his 3 Boy Scout sons and his wonderful and patient spouse, Tracy, camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and fishing.

Trustee

John Binneboese was born, raised, and currently lives in Itasca with wife Julie. He is the Senior Vice President of Itasca Bank & Trust Co. where he has worked for 35 years. He is active in the community as a former member of the Board of Governors of Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, and Lake Park High School Educational Foundation.  He also volunteers on local boards and commissions and is an Eagle Scout.  Mr. Binneboese holds a BS degree with advanced degrees from American Institute of Banking, U of Colorado and U of Wisconsin-Madison. He has an avid interest in nature and an ambition to become Master Gardener.

“While reaching Eagle Scout, I developed a deep respect and love for the great outdoors and its preservation.  Being part of the Foundation, I will try and draw on that emotion in support of the great works it performs, while learning about what more I can do to better the places I live.”

Trustee

Lourdes “Lulu” Blacksmith is the Managing Director of Community Engagement and Legislative Affairs at Elgin Community College, managing the college’s legislative initiatives and building impactful relationships with district residents, businesses and organizations. Prior to joining Elgin Community College, Lulu served as the Dean of Student and Community/Government Engagement at Waubonsee Community College, and as the Director of Community Relations and District Press Secretary for the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Lulu has an extensive record of community service in the Fox Valley including founding Compañeros en Salud / Partners in Health, NFP in 1999 to provide the Hispanic community and other diverse groups with the means to access resources and services for their health and well-being. In 2000, Lulu also founded Language Access to Healthcare, a free community-based, health care interpreting service to increase access to health care.  Currently, Lulu is involved with Compañeros en Salud/Partners in Health, NFP., the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley, and the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce Business and Economic Revival Council.

Lulu earned her Doctor of Education degree in Leadership in Higher Education and Organizational Change from Benedictine University, a master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership from Northeastern Illinois University, her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts with an emphasis on multicultural studies from DePaul University and her associate’s degree from Waubonsee Community College.

Lulu lives in Elburn, IL with her husband Steve and has two daughters, Nikki and Stefanie.

Trustee

Pete was raised in Southwestern Ohio and moved to the Chicagoland area after receiving his BS in Finance from Wright State University. He enjoyed a 40-year career in banking starting as a federal bank examiner with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and retiring from JPMorgan Chase Bank after 34-years in commercial banking with Chase and its predecessors in the Chicago suburbs. During this time he was active in various civic/business organizations including a term as President of the 1,000 member Northwest Suburban Association of Commerce and Industry.

Pete and his wife Kathie moved to Wayne 18-years ago and he was recently reelected to his 5th four-year term as a Village Trustee. He is a member of the Wayne-DuPage Hunt, the Wayne Area Conservation Foundation and is a volunteer with the Wayne Historic Preservation Society in their project to restore the historic Wayne Depot. He enjoys golf, horseback riding, the outdoors, playing with his 20 month old first grandson and is excited to be working with The Conservation Foundation.

Trustee

Dave Gorman spent much of his childhood in south suburban Sauk Trail Woods searching for and bringing home plenty of frogs, snakes, turtles and wild onions.  That and other early experiences instilled in him a lifelong passion for the outdoors.  He has also paddled many of the navigable waters in Northeastern Illinois, and happily fills his canoe with trash each year during the DuPage River Sweep.

Dave is a civil engineer, working as the Assistant Director of Public Works for the Village of Lombard.  He has led the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup as President since 2012, working closely with The Conservation Foundation’s staff to improve our local waterways.  He previously worked in floodplain management, public water regulations, and dam safety for the Illinois DNR, aside other state agencies and the US Army Corps of Engineers.  The first few years of his career was as a Peace Corps volunteer, building rural community infrastructure and leading other development programs in the Kingdom of Lesotho in Southern Africa.

As an endurance runner and biker, Dave greatly appreciates the mindfulness achievable in those activities.  His project “Bikes for Lesotho” has sent over 6,000 bikes to orphans and others in poverty, and has been instrumental to develop a cycling culture there.  He also serves as Board Secretary of Working Bikes, a nonprofit in Chicago that has grown since 1999 to annually collect and redistribute over 12,000 used bikes for people in need around Chicagoland and internationally.

Dave summarizes his environmental ethic in this way: “What we do today has an impact on at least the next seven generations.  That’s a serious responsibility, and also a great opportunity.  The Conservation Foundation is uniquely able to protect local open spaces for us and for them.  Rolling up our collective sleeves and getting to work on that is extremely satisfying!”

Trustee

John Gormley is CEO of the 19,000-member Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®, headquartered in Downers Grove. Mainstreet is the largest local real estate association in Illinois and seventh-largest in the U.S.

John has 33 years’ experience in association management. His first association job was with the Louisiana Forestry Association, from 1987-89.

He has a bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and a master’s degree from Texas State University.

“I’m excited to serve on the The Conservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees because the work and impacts are long-term,” said John.  “The Conservation Foundation’s mission, preserving land for the enjoyment of future generations, is critically important.”

Trustee

David Hulseberg is president/CEO of Seize the Future Development Foundation. Prior to leading Seize the Future, David was with the Village of Lombard, initially as assistant village manager/director of community development and most recently as village manager.

During his tenure with the Village of Lombard, David was instrumental in expanding the Village’s hotel and restaurant industries, increasing federal and state grants, progressive strategic planning, and integrating new technology into Village government operations. Previous to the Village of Lombard, David held positions with the Village of Mount Prospect and the Village of Arlington Heights in Illinois and the Town of Millbury in Massachusetts. He also served in the United States Army and as a congressional aide in the First Congressional District of Massachusetts for the United States House of Representatives.

David earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Westfield State University in Westfield, MA and a Masters of Public Administration degree with a concentration in urban management from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.  He holds credentials as a certified city manager from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Certification from the American Planning Association.

Trustee

“When I was young you almost never saw a Cooper’s Hawk or a Great White Egret in DuPage County. Today they are rather common due to a better environment.”

Robert Hutchinson appreciates the environmental improvements that make it possible for us to observe more Cooper’s Hawks and Great White Egrets. According to Bob, who has been on the Board of Trustees since 1995, involvement with The Conservation Foundation provides him the opportunity to help create awareness of the need for open space and to participate in the process of preserving it. Serving as an officer and board member of the Foundation allows him to be a part of an organization that he sees “making things happen” in conservation and open space.

Bob is President of Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust, and has been in the banking profession for his entire career. Bob has been an active participant in the communities in which in lives and works. He served on the Good Samaritan Hospital Development Council, Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce, Downers Grove Economic Development Commission, and the boards of the DuPage Homeownership Center, Cosley Zoo and Choose DuPage. His personal interests include bird watching, fishing and golf. Bob is also a wildlife artist.

The Foundation has benefited from the financial and banking expertise that Bob has brought to the Board of Trustees. The Conservation Foundation has grown rapidly in the last ten years. Rapid growth is wonderful, but it brings financial planning and management challenges. Bob has helped The Foundation to smoothly adapt to its growth.

Bob and his wife Nadine live in Wheaton, and are the proud parents of twin daughters, Madeline and Anne, and son Bobby.

Trustee

Elgin resident Susan Jayne has been a member of The Conservation Foundation for nearly 20 years, and we are honored to have her on our Board of Trustees.  Sue was first introduced to the concept of conservation while participating in the Wayne DuPage Hunt with Brooks McCormick, one of the original founders of The Conservation Foundation.

“I look forward to learning from the experience of the staff and my fellow Board of Trustees members, and to working to bring along the next generation,” Sue said. “By engaging young conservationists in the world of nature, we can encourage a new generation of stewardship. I hope to build an awareness of the great work of this amazing team and I’m honored to be a part of it.”

Sue has been an active member of our Kane County Advisory Council since 2004, is a member of the Society for Human Resource Management, the Illinois Fox Valley SHRM Chapter, and is President of the Hound Heritage Foundation.

She attended the University of Iowa, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration, Administrative Management degree, and has been certified as Senior Professional in Human Resources since 2000.

Sue is currently a Manager, Talent Acquisition with KPMG,  with previous recruiting experience at Starbucks Coffee Company, Deloitte and Arthur Andersen.

Trustee

Carole Koch, former chairperson of The Green Earth Institute, has joined the board of The Conservation Foundation, following a merger of the two conservation organizations in January of 2018.

Carole, who lives in Naperville, has been with Green Earth Institute since 2003 and in addition to volunteering, has served on its board of directors as well as producing marketing materials for the Community Supported Agriculture program.

She has worked as director of human resources at the University of Illinois Hospital & Clinics, and as Chief HR Officer/Associate Hospital Director at the U of I Medical Center in Chicago. Carole was a volunteer docent for 10 years at the Robert McCormick Museum, Cantigny Park, in Wheaton, and served on the board of directors for the Naperville Chorus for three years.

Carole received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is a native Chicagoan who says she moved to the suburbs 38 years ago to escape the concrete.

“The local population was a mere 44,000 then, so I’ve seen first-hand how quickly open land can disappear and just how important it is to protect both our land and our rivers,” she said.

As far as what she hopes to accomplish as a trustee, she says there is much to learn and there are many opportunities in which to be involved.

“I will be focused on supporting the smooth transition of the Green Earth Institute into The Conservation Foundation,” says Carole. “I have been very impressed with what I’ve seen so far, and find the new Nature Rx initiative of particular interest.”

Trustee

Julie Long has been a long-time supporter of The Conservation Foundation and was also involved with Fox Valley Land Foundation, which merged with The Conservation Foundation in 2007.

She is currently working as a monitor on Ferson Creek and is a certified naturalist. Long is an active volunteer for the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the St. Charles Park District, and the Kane County Audubon Society. She also has helped The Conservation Foundation pass three open space referenda with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County.

Julie graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and lives with her husband Dan in St. Charles.

Trustee

Joe Mikan is a lifelong resident of Will County and a former Will County Executive and Forest Preserve Commissioner. He spearheaded an initiative to create a new comprehensive land use plan for Will County which received the Burnham award for creativity, and became familiar with The Conservation Foundation through their involvement in this process. Joe played a significant role in passing the 2005 successful open space referendum in Will County, co-chairing the campaign committee under the Foundation’s leadership.

Both his personal and professional lives have made Joe aware of the pressures on natural resources and the need to protect them, so it was an easy sell when he was approached to join The Conservation Foundation’s Board. “I’m the third generation of my family to live in Will County. I’ve seen the changes that uncontrolled growth brings to the area, and while I’m not against growth, I certainly know there are better ways to do it than some of the ways it is currently being done.”

Joe brings a visionary yet practical perspective to the Board of Trustees. “I would like to see The Conservation Foundation continue the transition from a DuPage organization to a Northeastern Illinois regional organization,” says Joe. “I think the organization just gets stronger by spreading out and making more communities feel that they are part of the Foundation. That’s going to be easy to do as growth continues. These other communities will feel the need for the Foundation and the expertise the staff brings to them and I think it’s going to be exciting to be a part of all of that.”

An avid outdoorsman and golfer, Joe currently runs the family insurance business, which has been serving the community since 1921, and is also a farm owner. He has practiced the message he preaches by placing the streams and wetlands on his 160-acre Iowa farm into conservation programs. He is a graduate of North Central College in Naperville and he and his wife Lynn have raised their three sons in his hometown of Lockport.

Trustee

Jeanette Press joined the Board of Trustees of The Conservation Foundation in March 2018.

Jeanette is Interim Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer for CMC Materials, leading the company’s global finance organization.

Prior to CMC Materials, Jeanette served as Vice President, Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of Univar Solutions and USG Corporation.  Jeanette joined USG from the audit practice at KPMG LLP, where she spent more than 13 years serving both public and private, multinational corporations. While at KPMG, she spent three years in the firm’s national office in New York City, advising the firm’s audit and advisory professionals and clients on the application of accounting principles, Securities and Exchange Commission rules and regulations, risk management and independence matters.

Jeanette graduated magnum cum laude from Loyola University with a degree in accounting and she is a licensed CPA.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and serves on the Loyola University Accounting Advisory Board.

“I’m happy to be part of an organization whose goal is to save open spaces,” Jeanette said. “It’s where I love to be. It’s part of what we enjoy about living in the suburbs.”

She said she loves open space and feels it is an important area of pride for a community, and she hopes to get younger constituents involved in preserving land and to get them to know about The Conservation Foundation’s mission.  Jeanette feels there is wide reaching impact and immeasurable value in the Foundation’s mission to preserve land and restore rivers and streams since the benefit reaches everyone.  She, her husband, Dave, and dog, Clive, live in Lisle.

Trustee

Mario Short is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps and a Construction industry professional with more than twenty (20) years of experience.

He serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of SYTE Corporation. Under Mario’s leadership, the company has earned local, regional and national recognition, and has established itself as a preferred partner for mission-critical government agencies and private sector firms.

At SYTE, Mario has fostered a culture steeped in collaboration, transparency, and performance excellence. He studied Electrical Engineering at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, and received his executive education at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business in Hanover, NH.

“I’m honored to have been invited to the Board of Trustees of The Conservation Foundation, the Mid-west’s leader in the protection of our land and water resources,” said Mario about becoming part of our leadership.

His many other public service contributions include serving and supporting veteran-based organizations such as Leave No Veterans Behind and the Dive Heart Military Wounded Program.

Trustee

Lois Vitt Sale of Downers Grove brings her expertise in sustainable architecture to our Board.  Lois is the Chief Sustainability Officer at Wight & Company, and in her 25 years as an architect has completed more than 70 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) projects, including Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook and the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Chicago.

Lois is also the lead architect of the brand new Knoch Knolls Nature Center, located just across from our McDonald Farm in south Naperville.. And to add to her list of accolades, Lois is a LEED Faculty member with the U.S. Green Building Council and teaches sustainable construction as adjunct faculty at Northwestern University.

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