Starved Rock Country Community Foundation names 2 new board members

The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation recently welcomed two new board members who have a history of business success and nonprofit leadership.

Stephen “Steve” Aubry of Ottawa and Susan Lilja of Paw Paw have joined the foundation’s 16-member board chaired by Tracy Bedeker.

“Susan is a seasoned leader with a passion for community development,” SRCCF President Fran Brolley said. “She brings three decades of experience in banking, business management and foundation work to our board.

“Steve is a remarkably accomplished businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He brings knowledge of government, economic development and local history. The Starved Rock Country Community Foundation is significantly strengthened with these additions.”

As regional retail support manager for Heartland Bank and Trust Co., Lilja leads team effectiveness for 13 branches. Her career spans multiple industries, including agriculture and finance, and includes senior roles at Dekalb Ag, Tropp and Co., AMCORE Bank and now Heartland.

Lilja is a former treasurer for the Mendota Chamber of Commerce, an ambassador for the Sweet Corn Festival and is currently president of the parish finance council at St. James Church in Lee.

In 2019, she and her family co-founded the CSL Foundation to honor their sister’s memory. CSL partners with the American Farm Bureau to support “Ag in the Classroom.”

Aubry, owner and operator of “1000 Acre Grain Farm,” retired in 2018 as vice president and general manager at CIT Trucks LLC and managed the firm’s Peru facility. During his time with CIT, the company grew from two dealerships to 14. Before joining CIT in 1988, he managed hardware stores in Normal; Pekin; and Sarasota, Florida.

Aubry’s civic involvement includes representing District 22 on the La Salle County Board, as a board member for North Central Illinois Council of Governments, and as the former president of the La Salle County Historical Society, among other leadership roles.

For information on the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation, visit srccf.org or contact Director of Operations Janice Corrigan at janice@srcf.org or 815-252-2906.