IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame inducts 'exceptional Class'

2010 IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame offers ‘exceptional Class’

An inspirational physician, a ballistics expert and the college’s longest serving president are among the individuals to be honored at the Illinois Valley Community College Foundation’s third annual IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame induction at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Cultural Centre.

"This is an exceptional class,” said Fran Brolley, director of community relations and development, of the nine individuals and team being honored. The ‘hall,’ established in 2008 to honor IVCC’s most influential graduates, employees and benefactors, will now have 45 members.

Inductees are:

Eric Bryant, one of the stars of the highly ranked 1967 and 1968 IVCC basketball teams, coached Hall High School to second place state finishes in 1997 and 1998 and taught in area schools 39 years. As Village President of De Pue, Bryant is leading the effort to restore Lake De Pue to its once-pristine past.

Dr. Bernard Doyle: a 1940 LPO graduate, he was one of the first physician specialists to return to the Illinois Valley after World War II. The late Dr. Doyle established one of the area’s first trauma centers at St. Mary’s Hospital in La Salle and would sometimes travel to five hospitals in a single day. 

Don Fike: IVCC 1967, a pioneer in the development of housing complexes for senior citizens and the developmentally disabled. Fike’s network includes over 200 residential group homes and over 50 projects for senior citizens including Liberty Village complexes in Peru, Princeton and Streator.

Donald James Haas: LPO ’55, a Chicago Daily News All-Stater while at LP, he went on to become a star lineman for LPO’s 1954 undefeated state championship team. In a 31-year career in the U.S. Naval Reserves, he achieved the rank of Commander. From 1957 to 1991, Haas taught machine shop at Hall and LP before moving on to develop IVCC’s mechanical technology program.

Dr. Jim Mini: led LPO to its only NJC national tournament appearance in 1959 while leading the nation in scoring at 29.7 points per game. He went on to star at Loyola University in Chicago before beginning a 33-year medical career that eventually led to him being named chair of the department of pediatrics at Central DuPage Hospital. The Dalzell native is a member of the St. Bede, Loyola and IBCA halls of fame.

Dr. Joe Mini: LPO ’42, the late older brother of Jim Mini, was a 20-year Regional Superintendent of Schools for La Salle County (1967-87) and member of the committee that helped create IVCC in the mid-1960s. His accomplishments include the creation of a scholarship fund that has awarded over $1 million to 2,000 students, developing LEASE, the La Salle County Educational Alliance for Special Education, and starting the Lighted Way in La Salle. An IVCC Foundation scholarship honors his memory.

Don Menne: LPO '48. After doing ballistics research for the army in the Korean War, Menne worked from 1952 to 1986 for Ballistics Research Laboratory in Maryland. For his work developing the armor for the XM-1 Tank, he received BRL’s highest achievement award in 1977 and the army’s second highest achievement award for armor science and technology in 1978. Menne, who died in 2006, also wrote more than 40 publications.

Lanny Slevin: WLPO’s sports director has covered IVCC athletics for 37 years including every football game from 1974 to 1996. The only media member in the NJCAA Football Hall of Fame, for 35 straight years he broadcast both the Class A and Double A state tournament games from Champaign and later Peoria.

Dr. Al Wisgoski: As IVCC President from 1974 to 1996, he was the college’s longest serving chief executive officer. A Foundation benefactor, Wisgoski helped IVCC become a premier institution for high technology training in the 1980s. He created the Foundation in 1976 and brought Project NOA, The Illinois Valley Senior Center, Small Business Development Center and Dislocated Workers Center to campus. He also worked effectively with district chamber offices to recruit industry to the region.

1979 IVCC football team: the only modern-era team to go undefeated (11-0), Vince McMahon’s squad finished third in the nation, the highest end-of-season ranking for any IVCC team. Players and coaches expected to attend are Dr. Ted Brady, Kurt Bruno, Tom Dentino, John DiCarlo, Mark Fields, Joe Furlan, Eric Gibson, Dan Gregorich, the Tony Harcar family, Mike Hurst, Bill Ince, Larry Johnson, Mike Johnson, coach McMahon, Bob Mueller, Steve Munson, Doug Neff, Scott Piercy, Tom Pomije, Dan Seckler, Jeff Segobiano, Andy Senica, Woodrow Shaw, Tom Turner, Al Varoni, Richard Whidden, Mark Witek and Bob Zumbahlen.

The public is welcome free of charge. Refreshments will be served following the event. Reservations are appreciated; call Susan Monroe at (815) 224-0253.