(Published Saturday, March 10, 2007 01:35:52 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Shelly Birkelo Gazette Staff
Sue Conley needs to be involved.
And Janesville has benefited.
Conley, executive director of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, is one of this year's YWCA Women of Distinction.
"These women are those who have distinguished themselves through their personal achievement and leadership," said Allison Hokinson, community relations director at the YWCA of Rock County.
Conley has lived in Janesville for 36 years. She serves on the boards of the United Way of North Rock County, Friends of JATV, Zonta, St. Mary's School and the Janesville Performing Arts Center. She's treasurer of Theatre Unlimited, a member of the Janesville Noon Rotary Club and serves on the city's transportation committee.
She previously was active with the YWCA of Rock County and the Janesville Leadership Academy.
"I feel like I've been volunteering my whole life," Conley said. "It's part of who I've been the whole time."
Conley was surprised to learn she would join more than 150 other women and organizations who have been honored for improving the lives of women here since 1974.
"You just don't think about it. No one had told me they had nominated me,'' she said.
Some of Conley's nominators couldn't believe she hadn't been recognized before.
"How can it be that she hasn't already received this award?" wrote Kris Koeffler, director of Deferred Prosecution and Domestic Violence Intervention for Rock County.
"She is a person whose efforts have been far-reaching in our community for decades," Koeffler wrote.
"Sue is a visionary. She is tireless in her commitments and good deeds, is optimistic and promotes teamwork. People trust her and value her input and guidance. Her experiences have given her wisdom other administrators in nonprofits seek out," Koeffler wrote.
Gary L. Smith, who worked with Conley on many projects, committees and boards while president of United Way of North Rock County, said Conley is influential, decisive, passionate, a person of action and a woman of vision.
"She often is the first to volunteer to take on a project or task, and she always follows through. The communities in southern Wisconsin are blessed to have Sue as a cheerleader," Smith added.
Kathi Madsen, former director of the YWCA of Janesville, worked with Conley while Conley was a volunteer for the Y's Alternatives to Domestic Violence Help Line after it got started in 1985.
Conley's commitment to helping women and her enthusiasm toward their issues resulted in her being asked to join the YWCA board of directors.
"Her dedication to the Y was proven time and again by participation on most committees. Although leadership skills may be learned, to be a true leader comes from within, and Sue Conley is a born leader," Madsen said.
"She also is a negotiator, a mediator and a planner," which resulted in her eventually becoming the co-director and director of the YWCA, Madsen said.
Throughout her life and career, Conley has been at the forefront of efforts to strengthen the status and lives of women in Rock County. She has been a leader, fund raiser, mentor, friend and role model to women and girls striving to find their place in the community, said Lisa Furseth, executive director of Community Action.
"But perhaps Sue's greatest gift to all of us is the model she provides. She is a gifted and compassionate leader. She has a quiet and calm strength and consistently uses that strength to improve our community. She has been a teacher for her daughter, who is a testament to her leadership. She has been a friend and supporter to women and organizations throughout the community."
Conley said she's humbled to be among women recognized for their achievements.
"They're wonderfully talented women," she said.
Other YWCA Women of Distinction honorees are:
Jane Blain Gilbertson Blain Gilbertson is co-owner and executive vice president of Blain Supply/Blain's Farm & Fleet.
The Janesville-headquartered business originated with two brothers who created a business that was built on hard-working family values. Now, more than 50 years later, that business has grown to become one of the most prominent retail stores in Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin, under the leadership of Blain Gilbertson and her brother, Robert Blain.
That same ethic of hard work and family values instilled in Blain Gilbertson early on has benefited Janesville.
Blain Gilbertson was instrumental in developing the Janesville Performing Arts Center. Through her passion for the arts, she ignited an interest in downtown development and cultural activities for both the young and old. With her continued involvement on the JPAC board of directors, Blain Gilbertson helps steer programming and events that appeal to diverse audiences.
Blain Gilbertson has made it her mission to give back to her community. Through her company leadership, she helped create scholarship programs that make it possible for children to further their education, become involved in 4-H and receive toys for holidays.
Blain's Farm & Fleet also sponsors community fund-raisers after careful review of an organization's mission and purpose. Blain Gilbertson organizes the Bert Blain Memorial Heart Walk that raised more than $275,000 last year for the American Heart Association. She also serves on the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation board of directors.
"Jane has a real love for Janesville, and it shows," said nominator Beth Konkol. "Many citizens used to complain about the lack of art opportunities in Janesville, but Jane chose to do something about it, by not only investing dollars, but her time, enthusiasm and drive to make it succeed."
Barb Bortner Bortner, vice president of marketing and public relations at Mercy Health System, Janesville, demonstrates balance between a demanding work schedule, children and family activities and volunteer commitments.
After 13 years as public relations coordinator, marketing manager and marketing director for Mercy Health System, Bortner was promoted to her current position in 2005. She was the catalyst for developing the marketing department and creating an in-house advertising/public relations agency that is responsible for strategic marketing and public relations initiatives and community education programming.
Bortner leads a staff of more than 28 and is part of the executive team under Javon Bea's leadership that has developed Mercy Health System into a into a 63-facility, two-state network of care. Under Bortner's guidance and her understanding of the challenges working mothers face, Mercy's marketing department today offers multiple options for job sharing and flexible scheduling.
Even with a demanding job and being a mother to four young children who are active in school functions, Bortner finds time to contribute to her community. In addition to being a member of state and national professional organizations, Bortner has been involved locally with Forward Janesville, St. Mary's School board of directors, American Cancer Society, Janesville Noon Rotary, American Red Cross, American Heart Association and volunteers with her children at the House of Mercy Homeless Center.
"Barb has demonstrated through her leadership that a woman can simultaneously be successful at home, as a community volunteer, and a hard-working professional achieving long-term career goals with increasing levels of responsibility," said nominator Kim Hesgard of Mercy Health System.
Melanie Garunay Garunay is an 18-year-old Parker High School senior who was featured as one of The Janesville Gazette's "50 Who Matter" in January.
She has worked the lights for numerous productions at Parker High, Theatre Unlimited and The Armory dinner theater.
While Garunay has worked hard to make her school and community a better place, she has done so without fanfare, said her school counselor, Mary Ross.
Her involvement has included the student council food drive, Relay for Life fund-raiser and planning homecoming activities.
In addition to excelling academically, Garunay is a volunteer tutor. She also is gifted musically, artistically and personally.
During the summer of 2006, Garunay was an intern with the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, which normally doesn't have high school interns.
Garunay's interest in politics also led her to establish a new club last fall for fellow students so they could vote in addition to learning about and expressing their opinions on political issues.
Lauri Steeber Steeber is a Wisconsin State Patrol lieutenant who has had a distinguished career in government leadership, law enforcement and community involvement.
She served as an elected Rock County Board member from 2000 to 2006 and was appointed to lead the human services board shortly after joining it. She also served on the county board staff committee and the public safety and justice committee.
Steeber has worked her way up the ranks from state patrol inspector, trooper and sergeant to her current rank of lieutenant.
Steeber also leads Blackhawk Technical College's board of directors. She was instrumental in the fund-raising campaign of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial-a campaign to build a memorial at the state Capitol dedicated to Wisconsin law enforcement officers. She continues to serve as a board member and officer for the memorial, providing support for families coping with the death of loved ones.
Steeber also has a 14-year history of helping with the Law Enforcement Torchrun for Special Olympics, and she was former chairperson for the Boy Scouts of America Troop 424 and an executive committee board member of AFSCME Council, Local 55.
"She is an amazing woman," wrote nominator Charmian Klyve. "She provides an excellent role model, showing that women do have a place as leaders in the law enforcement field."
Mary Willmer-Sheedy Willmer-Sheedy is market president at Marshall & Ilsley Bank, downtown Janesville.
According to nominator Milly Babcock, Willmer-Sheedy makes a community stronger. In addition to her leadership skills at the bank, Willmer-Sheedy has the drive to make a difference within other organizations.
She is a board member of Forward Janesville and serves on its education council, is a current member and past president of the Janesville Noon Rotary Club, served as 2005 campaign chairwoman and on the allocations committee for United Way of North Rock County, volunteers for Junior Achievement, served as a guest presenter at the Young Women's Leadership Conference, has been a leader of Badger Council of Girl Scouts for three years and can be seen ringing bells annually with her family during the holidays for the Salvation Army.
Willmer-Sheedy received the Rotary Club Paul Harris Fellow Award and in 2005 was honored by Forward Janesville as the Athena Award recipient-an award that recognizes individuals who strive for the highest level of professional achievement and who have devoted time and energy to their community.
"Mary serves as a role model to other women each and every day in everything she does," Babcock said. "She is unequalled in her dedication to her family and activities."
