FEA TURE - Resource Bank

Your
FOR LIVING
94.9 FM
Passion for Cars at
Melrose T-Top
Fun Family Event:
Big Rock Plowing Match
Binh Pho’s
Imaginative Woodcraft
Volume 1, Issue 4
FEATURE
Your local radio station
County Quotes
Fall 2007
CONTENTS
Resource Reflections
14
9
20
On the Cover
In Every Issue
9 LIFESTYLE
2 COUNTY QUOTES
4 PRESIDENT’S DESK
5 COMMUNITY
The past and present of
Melrose T-Top’s
corvette roofs.
QUOTE
“
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
2
- Albert Camus
“
seasonal
14
FEATURE
Memories and music from
a local radio station.
26 COUNTRY VIEW
Sea of grain throughout
DeKalb County.
Each issue we’ll profile
a prominent figure from
one of our communities.
20 ABOUT THE ARTIST
23 SEASON’S FEATURE
27 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
23
Table of Contents
3
President’s Desk
Resource Bank President
“
MEET
Community
“
JIM PHILLIPS
For Jim, family has always been
overwhelmingly central in his
life and the driving force behind
everything that he does...
Richard Katz
Have you ever been to the Big Rock Plow Match?
Perhaps you went with your parents, or
your grandparents. Or even with your great-grandparents. Since 1895, competitors from the
area have shown off their plowing and farming skills, all while their friends and relatives enjoy
the match and the fair surrounding it. Over the years, the tools of the match have changed.
Hope you enjoy the story of this bit of DeKalb County history.
One of our major goals with Your Resource
For Living is to focus on DeKalb County and
the events that define our communities. One
of the biggest things to happen in the county
this year would have to be the heavy rains and
the flooding. Some of the images from this
natural disaster will remain with us for years.
During that week of seemingly never-ending
rain, local radio station B95 kept us all up-tothe-minute with weather and flood reporting.
A familiar presence in our community, we are
happy to have B95 as a feature in this issue.
Our work week is a little brighter with the
music variety on B95.
We’ve included several articles we can’t wait for you to read. We look forward to your
feedback on them, including an interview with Jim Phillips, Associate Vice President and
Director of NIU Athletics, and his family. Of course, for those of you who want to plan early
for the months ahead, the calendar of local events is on the last page. Finally, we would like
to thank you for your kind comments on our magazine. We hope it will continue to show the
great things offered in our communities. If you would like to be featured in an up coming
edition, please give us a call. We would love to hear your suggestions. Thanks for making
Resource Bank a part of your life.
Sincerely,
B
eing the youngest of his parents’ ten children
may have been the best training Jim Phillips could
have received for his current position as Associate Vice
President and Director of Athletics at Northern Illinois
University. That’s because Jim sees all 486 of the
university’s student athletes as part of his own extended
family. How much a part? Well, all of those student
athletes will come to Jim’s home for dinner during the
course of the fall and spring semesters. “It’s a way to
get them out of the dorms and apartments for a good
meal,” says Jim. “My parents used to say that one of the
nicest things you can do is open your home up to others.
Having these talented student athletes at our home gives
us a chance to tell them how much we appreciate them.”
Fortunately, Jim’s wife, Laura, shares his vision of the
Husky family. She also seems to have the “entertaining
gene,” which comes in handy when she and Jim are
hosting events in their home like “the 5th quarter.”
That’s a get together held after every home football
game for donors, trustees, university staff, and members of the
community. “It just seems like the natural thing to do,” says Jim,
“to thank those who have done so much for our university.”
“
So where does all this openness and generosity come from? If
you ask Jim and Laura Phillips, they will give the credit to their
own parents. Jim is the son of John and Anita Phillips, whom
he says were devoted entirely to their family, their church, and
their community. John was a self-made engineer and Anita was
a hardworking homemaker, and they raised their son to see faith,
family, and friends as the essential components of a happy and
fulfilling life. Laura, like Jim, came from a large Catholic family
and was the youngest of seven children. “We were all raised with
strong Catholic values,” says Laura, “but growing up in a big family
was also a lot of fun. There was always someone there for you.”
Richard J. Katz
4
5
Community
“
I feel so fortunate to be making
a difference at such an
incredible university.
Jim Phillips
Books on Jim’s nightstand
Community
“
GET TO KNOW
• How – Seidman
• Classic Wisdom for the Good life – Curtis
• From the Heart: 7 Rules to Live By – Robin Roberts
• Success Built to Last – Porras Emery Thompson
• Leadership Fitness – Homer Rice
• The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team – Patrick Lencioni
• Flags of our Fathers – James Bradley
• Leadership Through the Ages – Collection of Favorite Quotations
• The World is Flat – Thomas L. Friedman
Who is your “Super Hero”?
My 92 year old father still lives in Chicago, in the home where we all grew up. He is amazing!
One of your personal accomplishments…
I received my PhD from the University of Tennessee. It was a long
journey, but something I am very proud of.
Looking back…
One academic year in college, I was roommates with former NBA
star Kendall Gill and Ryan Baker, a Chicago sportscaster at Ch. 5.
Before coming to NIU…
In South Bend, Indiana I was Senior Associate Director of Athletics
for External Affairs at Notre Dame.
NIU and Business Relationships
“We focus on friendship first with our business partners. Our
entire staff is involved in the business community at the grass
roots level. The reaction in the business community has been
one of overwhelming support. With them as partners we are able
to provide a world-class experience for our athletes.
Resource Bank has been a creative and enthusiastic
supporter of NIU. The Resource Bank $100,000 Kick-Off Frenzy
keeps our fans holding their collective breath on that first
kick-off. They are also very much involved in Women’s and
Men’s Basketball events as well as our Cheerleaders and printed
materials that advertise our Huskies.”
6
The couple met while attending the University of Illinois,
Champaign. Laura was a classmate who seemed to share
the same drive, love of family, and adherence to faith that
marked Jim’s own life. Jim readily states that “meeting my
wife was the best thing that ever happened to me.” Laura
remembers that they “instantly clicked.” “We would talk
and talk for hours. We had a lot in common.” Together,
Jim and Laura are following their parents’ lead, instilling a
sense of belonging and purpose not only in their own four
children, but also in the hundreds of student athletes that
look to them for friendship and guidance.
One way Jim guides the young men
and women in his care is by setting the
proper priorities. Jim likes to point out
that winning is important at NIU, but
that winning the right way is even more
important. He emphasizes that NIU must
offer its student athletes a “world-class
experience,” and by that he means making
available not only world-class athletic
facilities, but also world-class academic
and social environments that will prepare
students for a life of leadership and
service after they leave NIU. Student
athletes are expected not only to graduate,
but to excel academically, which helps
explain why NIU’s student athletes have
a combined grade point average of over 3.0. Jim is proud
of the impressive statistics racked up on the field and court
by NIU’s athletic teams, but he is just as proud of the fact
that NIU student athletes have maintained this excellent academic record for four straight terms, exceeding the NCAA’s
academic standards. Under Phillips’ leadership, the university has also seen a substantial increase in student athlete
graduation rates.
Of course, anything “world class” comes at a price, and Jim Phillips has also demonstrated his ability as a fundraiser
for the programs he sees as essential to the Husky family. His “fast-forward” funding has helped the University better
provide for its students. But Jim is quick to distribute the credit for success, “The University’s achievements are a direct
result of hard work and dedication by the student athletes, coaches, and staff at Northern Illinois. Together, we are a
winning combination.”
Certainly Jim’s enthusiasm for NIU and the surrounding community has played a role in his own
and the school’s success. “I feel incredibly fortunate to be making a difference at such a wonderful
university,” he says. “It is impossible to express how happy we are to be where we are, both from a
professional and personal standpoint.” Before accepting the position as Athletic Director at NIU, Jim
and Laura explored the community. It was important to them to find a good environment in which
to raise their family. “As we looked into the area and the community, it just made sense. It had all
the elements we were looking for. We had high expectations coming here, and those expectations
have been overwhelmingly exceeded. It has been a complete blessing for us. This community has
embraced our entire family, and we have loved every minute of our time here.”
“I love the small town feel,” Laura adds. “We feel really safe here. I love being able to walk down
the street and see familiar faces. It’s refreshing to look down the road and see a park on one side and
cornfields on the other. I think it’s also good for the children to experience these things– the farmlands
and the countryside. There is really a lot to do here as a family. We appreciate the number of family
events that are offered, and we try to attend as many of them as we can.” You can often find the Phillips family on State
Street in Sycamore, catching a free movie or participating in one of the many festivals. Jim notes that watching the
lighting of the city Christmas tree and going to Pumpkin Fest and Corn Fest are already yearly traditions in their family.
“We love being a part of these events.”
7
Community
Lifestyle
The Phillips children have recently started to get
involved in sports within the community, which is
a highlight for Jim. “Watching young children play
sports is like watching sports in the purest form.
They aren’t keeping score. Everyone is trying their
hardest, and everyone is at the same level. Best of
all…everyone is having fun! Those are the moments
in life that Laura and I really treasure.”
Jim wakes at 4 a.m. during the work week to take
on another eighteen-hour day. Dressed in sweats
with his suit in hand, he heads for the NIU athletics
building for a quick workout before tackling his
administrative duties. As the youngest of 10
children, a former athlete, and someone with years
of experience working with top tier college athletes, Jim
knows a thing or two about competition. But you’d be
wrong to say it’s simply his competitive nature that drives
him to excel in everything he does. “I’m never satisfied,”
he admits. “There is always more to be done.” If you
know Jim Phillips, though, you know he is driven by
something more than a desire to win for winning’s sake.
“Every day is an opportunity to provide our student athletes
a better experience--that’s what drives my passion.” That’s
a world-class motive for a world-class administrator.
Cars have always been an important part of Dave Wiehle’s life. As
a young man, he worked in an auto repair shop in his hometown.
There, he watched and learned from the other mechanics, trying to
understand, he says, “how cars were built, how they functioned,
and especially what made one faster than the other.” In time, Dave
became an expert mechanic and was able to find work on the
racing circuit, traveling the world while doing what he enjoyed—
working on cars. “It was great,” remembers Dave. “I was doing
what I loved, something I had an intense passion for, and at the
same time I was getting the opportunity to explore the world.”
Jim and his family pose with the athletes after
enjoying a meal together at the Phillips’ home.
8
Today, Dave Wiehle is the successful owner of the premier GM
licensed manufacturer of Corvette t-tops and roofs. His association
with cars and racing led him to open a body shop in Melrose
in 1983, and with the support of his wife, Genese, he set out
to realize his dream of making a career out of his love of cars.
“Genese has always been very supportive of my ambitions,” says
Dave. “She would always tell me to ‘go for it.’ She was always
encouraging me.”
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Picture of the shop crew from left to right: Chris, Linda, Jeff, Greg
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In the wake of this success, Dave and
Genese decided to put up a new building in
Cortland and focus primarily on the Corvette roofs
and other aftermarket items. They named the
business Melrose T-Top in honor of their first body
shop in Melrose. That was in 1991, the same year
Dave got his professional racing license and began
racing competitively. “I loved the thrill of racing,”
says Dave. “I have always enjoyed working on cars,
but there is something really special about racing
something you have built.”
The youngest of Dave and Genese’s three children,
Chris, also was bitten by the racing bug. Like his
father, Chris enjoyed the speed and excitement of
extreme sports. In 1993, Chris had begun working
full time at the shop, helping to maintain the
growing business; but when he wasn’t working,
he was performing motorcycle stunts or racing
dirt bikes. After Chris suffered several broken
bones and other painful injuries, Dave and Genese
suggested he try something safer and join his Dad
on the track, first as part of the pit crew, and later
as part of the Wiehle racing team. It wasn’t long
before Chris received his professional racing license
and began racing along side his Dad. Together,
Dave and Chris bought beat–up cars and spent
countless hours turning them into powerful racing
machines. They were so good at this, that they
had no trouble selling their old cars from one year
to finance the purchase of new and better cars for
the next season, and they soon made a name for
themselves. The father and son team were a force
to be reckoned with. “I have a lot of really great
memories from those years,” says Dave. “It was great
sharing my passion with my son.”
Racing was actually a focal point for the entire
Wiehle family. Genese recalls that one of the
family’s proudest moments was when Chris won
the Minneapolis World Challenge. “That day is our
family’s claim to fame; it was the best day of our lives
when Chris won that race.” Genese’s face lights
up as she looks at the picture on their office wall of
Chris holding the winning trophy.
In fact, Melrose T-Top’s office walls are lined with
similar photos and images of cars and racing. The
showroom right outside the office is a shrine that
reflects the passion this family has for cars and
racing. It is filled with beautifully polished cars, as
well as other mementos from the Wiehle’s
racing days. They include photos of
famous people whom the Wiehles met
on the track and winning drivers who
drove Wiehle built cars. Every item
in the room has a story behind it,
and each artifact evokes a
personal memory for Dave
and his family.
Today, Dave and his son no
longer race competitively.
They spend their days
working in the business
along with Dave’s wife
Genese. “I do miss
traveling,” says Genese.
“We got to go to some really
great places over the years. But
we are at a good place now with the
business, and we will always have the
memories to share.” A good place
indeed. The business has evolved
over the years to fill a unique niche in
the Corvette aftermarket.
Lifestyle
Together, they made the body shop a success, and
soon Dave began to explore another aspect of
the auto body industry. He began building
roofs for Corvettes in a small section of his
body shop. There was a healthy demand
for Corvette tops, but not many options
for Corvette owners to buy them except
at dealerships, where they were extremely
expensive. Working first in plastic to
perfect his designs, and then pulling
together salvaged parts and glass to
finish the final product, Dave soon
began delivering the aftermarket roofs.
When the demand for the tops grew,
Dave was able to obtain a license from
GM, which allowed him to produce
all new parts for the tops. “Once we
were licensed,” Dave notes, “everything
changed. Business really took off.”
Top pic: Chris accepting
the winning trophy at
the Minneapolis World
Challenge. A day the
family will never forget.
Right pic: Dave behind
the wheel.
57 Chevy, a complete res
toration b
oug
ht in P
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, CA.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle
Dave’s favorite car:
1990 ZRI It sits in his showroom. Dave
bought the #91 car and the #17 car as a
package deal. There were only two cars like
them. It is very significant to Dave because he
kept the #91 car and his dear friend Chip Miller, who
has recently passed, kept the #17 car.
Melrose T-Top offers an exclusive line of Corvette roofs and t-tops, as well as replacement roofs. The majority
of Melrose T-Top’s sales now come from the Internet, driven by relationships with companies like Ecklers,
Mid America, Corvette Central, Corvette America, Zip Products, and West Coast Corvette. “We don’t sell
to the general public,” says Dave. “The companies we deal with trade–in broken t-tops for new ones. We
get damaged tops shipped to us every day, and every one has a story connected to it as to how the damage
happened. I don’t think there is a story I am surprised by these days. I think I have heard them all.”
Dave goes on to explain that “every top we build here is done by hand. It is about a 20 step process
from start to finish.”
Twenty-five years in the business has led Melrose T-Top into some additional areas of the Corvette aftermarket
and restoration business. They now specialize in performance headers and exhaust, headlight restoration
parts, weather stripping, power steering parts, windshield washer pumps, Howe radiators, and much more.
“There are a lot of things that we do here that no one else in the industry can,” says Dave. “For instance,
Melrose T-Top is the only shop in the industry that makes 1963-82 Corvette restoration headlights.”
12
Melrose T-Top has proudly serviced
the Corvette market with restoration
and performance parts since 1983.
Melrose Motorsports is a division
of the parent company Melrose
T-Top International. For nearly three
decades, Melrose T-Top International
has served the Corvette industry.
Through product perfection and
quality customer service, they have
generated repeat business, fueling
company growth.
Despite the family’s success, Genese says their journey was
not always an easy one. “We sure had our hard times, but
with hard work we always made it through. In the end, it’s
been a good ride, and we are happy where we are today.”
Dave adds, “It’s hard to believe that we opened this building
seventeen years ago. We never could have done it without the help of
Resource Bank. We were referred to Resource by a friend and have been very
pleased with them. Working with Darci at Resource has been a pure joy. She
is great at managing our accounts. They have done some very special things
for us over the years, things that my wife and I are so very grateful for. They
have taken care of our growing business and our family over the years.”
The next time you spot a glistening Corvette cruising down the highway,
think of Dave Wiehle and the journey he and his family have taken down the
road of success. It just might inspire you to “go for it” yourself.
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Feature
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ON THE AIR
In DeKalb County
Destiny calls each of us in a uniquely personal way. For Tana Knetsch,
destiny’s voice was literally music to her ears carried through a tiny radio.
Since the day her father came home with transistor radios for Tana and her
brother, music has struck a deep chord in her life. “ There is something about
music that can dictate your mood or bring back a feeling from the past. All
you need to do is hear the first few notes of a song, and it can bring back lots
of great memories. It’s like you’re reliving the experience through the song,”
Tana says.
“The day Dad came home with those tiny transistor radios is one of my most
cherished memories. I fell asleep every night listening to Super CFL and WLS
(popular Chicago radio stations at the time). We knew every deejay by name
and the words to every song. I even remember singing all the commercial
jingles! I had that radio by me every waking minute,” shared Tana.
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From left to right, back row:
Tana Knetsch, Babs Koch, Ken Misch;
Front row:
Amy Biundo, Lisa Greene, Rima Wright,
PJ Harrigan, Brian Adams, Dave Bavido
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Feature
“I remember receiving that phone call like it
was yesterday,” says Tana. “It was at that very
moment our lives changed forever.” Radio
licenses are a limited commodity; issued only by
the FCC. “Owning a license is a great privilege,
and I was determined to build a successful radio
station that people would enjoy listening to.”
“In the beginning, when we were just an
idea on paper, Resource Bank believed in us.
It’s been a great, ongoing relationship.
I guess I’m small town, but I like going into
a bank where everyone greets you by name
and genuinely appreciates your business.
I know any employee’s door is always open,
including Richard’s.”
“When I dropped the completed application
in the mailbox to the FCC, I felt like I was
jumping off of a big cliff and hoping I would
land on something other than jagged
rocks,” shares Tana. Despite her jitters
and anticipation waiting to hear back from
the FCC, Tana felt strongly that running a
radio station was something she could do.
“I always loved music, and I was always
involved in our community; this was the
perfect, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to
blend the two.”
Receiving the exciting
news was Tana and Jim’s
signal to immediately
begin work and start
planning. “There were
already two established
radio stations in the
market; one that served
an older, more rural
demographic, and a
teen-oriented station. We
decided to drop right in the
middle of the two stations
and appeal to the 25 to 54
year-old audience.” It took
nine months to build out the studio and construct
the tower and site. In August of 1990, B95
(frequency 94.9 FM) hit the airwaves.
For two years, Tana and Jim waited anxiously
through the long process to find out the
results of their application. As the only local
resident to apply, Tana had a huge edge with
the FCC. The FCC reviewed her application,
and a year later, sent her a postcard stating it
was acceptable, meaning her application was
being considered for the license. Another
year later, Tana received a phone call from
their attorney in Washington, DC, informing
her she had been granted the FM broadcast
license for DeKalb.
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Like many fledgling businesses, B95’s first two
years on the air proved “extremely difficult,”
remembers Tana. “Equipment costs were very
high, and this industry relies solely on advertising
to make ends meet. Since we were a new
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station, advertisers took a wait and see approach.
There were a lot of sleepless nights where Jim
and I would be wide awake wondering if we
could survive economically. I would get up in the
morning, dog-tired from worrying all night; I would
look at myself in the mirror and say out loud…
Failing Is Not An Option!”
Feature
That early passion for music, radio in
particular, foretold of Tana’s future ability to
hit a high note in the business herself. For
17 years now, she has successfully run local
radio station B95-FM (WDKB). Tana, and her
husband Jim Dionisopoulos, were exploring
options for Tana to own her own business
when a friend called to tell them about a new
radio station license that was being issued
to DeKalb. The deadline for applications
was quickly approaching. Tana and Jim
knew there was a need for another station
in their community. With little time to make
a decision, they went with their instincts and
filled out the application.
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Tana made good on that
resolve. Despite many
bumps throughout the
years, B95 has succeeded
in delivering service
and results, gaining
the respect of listeners
and businesses. Since
day one, B95 has been
committed to operating as
an important, integral part
of the community. The
station offers thousands
of free public service announcements to nonprofit groups each year and regularly partners
with important community efforts through
sponsorships and leadership.
“As a part of this community, we also focus on
giving our listeners breaking news and updated
reports. With the recent August storms our area
faced and the extensive flooding it caused, B95
MHz FM
160 X10kHz AM
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Feature
B95 is also committed
to delivering results for
clients, considering them
valued friends, as well
as business partners.
Coming up with creative solutions for clients is
just as important as building lasting relationships
and trust. B95 doesn’t sell by rating points like
the big radio markets do; its success comes
from delivering sales results for clients.
Offering the best music means keeping up with
the latest advancements in technology. “When
we first hit the airwaves, we were playing vinyl
albums and carts, which were similar to 8 track
tapes,” said Tana. “Now all of our music is on a
hard drive available at the touch of a computer
screen. Our software is much more sophisticated
for scheduling our commercials and music.”
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Although the introduction of MP3s and iPods
have allowed people access to music from the
Internet, they miss out on the human element
local radio offers. Ken Misch has been B95’s
program director since 1998. Over the years he
has directly dealt with the constant changes in
radio technology. “Today, with the Internet, my
job in production is not nearly the hassle it once
was. Obtaining information was once tough.
Today the web is a great research tool, and I can’t
imagine where we would be without it,” he said.
hard. I’m very grateful to have the staff
that we do, and Tana is a great boss to
work for. Finding this kind of working
environment in radio is very rare, and I’m
proud to be a part of the success of B95,”
Ken said.
While her leadership and management
style make Tana the backbone behind
the success of B95, she gives all credit
to her staff. “I could never do any of this
on my own; every employee at WDKB
is vital to our success,” praises Tana.
“In an industry that is notorious for high
turnover, we have tremendous loyalty
and longevity.”
Tana credits Ken as a key factor in running the
successful radio station, adding that it takes a
talented team to make it all
come together. Everyone
helps out where they can.
B95’s staff is not very big,
so every employee wears
many hats. Ken believes
working with a small staff
is very beneficial. “It
gives everyone a chance
to find their strengths
and weaknesses and the
opportunity to find an area
they excel at. It sounds
cliché, but we are truly a family here at B95. I’m
incredibly happy with our staff. In all my years
of radio, I have never seen a staff work so well
together. Everyone here is great and works very
Enter B95’s studio and you’ll find that
chemistry of teamwork in the air, just like
the music. It’s obvious everyone enjoys
what they do, and the entire staff works
really well together. Radio is a fastpaced industry, with short deadlines.
It becomes a chain reaction where
several people are involved and they
have to work with one another in order to
get things done quickly and accurately.
“We love having fun, but we get our
work accomplished as well,” Tana says.
“I couldn’t have done this without my
husband. He’s been by my side for
these 17 years. When the low points
came, he was always there to prop me
up and remind me that things would
improve. He’s been right every time!”
Tana’s Secret: “I am phobic about going
on-air, I always have been. I really respect
people with the spontaneity to do live
radio. If you see me in the recording studio
it’s simply for business and I get out of
there as soon as possible!” In her 17 years
in the business, Tana has been live onair for a combined total of less than 30
seconds, which is proof of the confidence
and support she has for her staff.
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AM
Feature
was always updating listeners with last minute
news and weather conditions, thanks to the
dedication of Brian Adams, our news director,”
said Tana. “We take pride in building rapport
with our listeners. We love nothing more than
having listeners call in and tell us they wake up
with us every morning, or drive home with us
every night.”
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10
About the Artist
Binh Pho and his friends could not have known,
as children playing in the streets of Saigon, how
profoundly the war would shape their lives. The
war had brought American soldiers into their
world and, more importantly, the things American
soldiers distributed and threw away during their
comings and goings. The children traded discarded
cigarette packs as if they were baseball cards and
bottle caps as if they were coins. Peanut butter
and crackers sometimes came their way, courtesy
of the Americans. The real fighting was in the
countryside, so the war was not quite real to them.
However, as the children became teenagers, joining
the fight, or following some other course, became
an unavoidable choice. Binh Pho knew he did not
want to carry a gun, but he would either have to join
the army or pursue his education. He had already
discovered the world of art through a local artist,
whose studio he had passed every day on his way
to school. The man taught Binh to draw, and this
skill eventually opened the door to the university.
In 1975, as the war drew to a close, Binh was a
sophomore in college majoring in architecture.
Ironically, it was the end of the war that drew Binh
Pho into the center of the storm of violence and
suffering that had raged for so many years in the
countryside surrounding Saigon. As the North
Vietnamese troops began their final push into
Saigon, the Americans were trying desperately
to evacuate South Vietnamese who had
worked with them and might therefore be
at risk for reprisal. Binh Pho’s father,
a doctor, had trained in America
20
But Binh would not get on a
helicopter that day. Like many of his
countrymen, Binh was left waiting
in the courtyard for a helicopter that
never came. Pressure from the Viet
Cong cut the evacuation short, and
Binh found himself on the run from
the communists whom his family and
their American friends had fought
against for over two decades. For
the next four years, separated from his family and in
constant fear for his life, Binh would be subjected in turn to
imprisonment, torture, and virtual slave labor. He endured
the hardships and fear associated with numerous attempts to
escape the country and join his family in the U.S. Much, it
would seem, was taken from Binh Pho as the last helicopter
left without him on that day in 1975. In taking it away,
however, Binh Pho’s destiny as an artist, a husband, and a
father took shape.
Eventually, Binh would make his
way by boat across the Sea of Siam to
Malaysia and then on to St. Louis by air to
rejoin his family. During the harrowing boat
trip, he would meet his future wife, Vi. Years
later, it was Vi who would buy him a table saw
as a gift. It was that table saw that inspired Binh to
become an amateur woodworker, and it was the love of
woodworking that drew him some five years later into a
slide presentation on the work of artist, John Jordon.
marked the beginning of a pattern that would
take Binh all over the country to study with, and
find inspiration from, other artists as he honed
his own talents.
Binh Pho credits these other artists and
craftsmen with the success he now enjoys
as one of the leading figures in the field of
contemporary wood sculpture. However, it
is unquestionably Binh’s ability to reflect his
own extraordinary experiences in his artwork
that sets him apart. Each piece is somehow
reflective of a part of his life’s journey, each
detail symbolic. The sculptures tell stories
of love, heartbreak, conflict, and transition.
“My work comes from memories, culture, the
Zen mind, and my own thoughts,” says Binh.
Reflecting perhaps on the darkest corners of
his memories, Binh adds, “negative spaces
inspire me. They represent the
unseen weight of the unknown,
which I use to take the viewers
into my work.”
About the Artist
Binh Pho was born in Vietnam in 1955, at the
beginning of the American intervention in the
Vietnamese civil war. He spent his childhood in
Saigon, the bustling capital of the south. There,
he grew up against a backdrop of metropolitan
and international influences that shaped life in the
bustling city. In the shadow of the war, he began
the unlikely journey toward his destiny as an
internationally known artist.
Pho
Binh
and was a member of the South Vietnamese army.
He and the rest of Binh’s family were away in a different
part of the country when Saigon began falling to the
Viet Cong, but because of his father’s
position, Binh was a candidate for
evacuation. Along with thousands
of others, he fled to the American
embassy, where helicopters were
transporting refugees to American
ships anchored off the coast.
Wanting to remain relatively close to Chicago
and the city’s outlets for selling his art, and yet
looking for an easier place to raise his family, Binh
Pho moved in 1997 to Maple Park. There, next to
his house, he built a 15,000 square foot studio. The
area around the building is marked by piles of box
elder wood. Inside, the ground floor is covered with
wood shavings and sawdust, while the second floor
is home to many of Binh’s works in various stages of
completion. Each piece is breathtaking in its beauty
and intricacy. Each piece, like the experiences that
came together to form Binh Pho’s destiny, is unique.
The slide presentation demonstrated how a lathe could be
used to create vessels from wood, and Binh Pho was so
taken with the process, that he purchased a lathe and began
attempting his own projects at home. Says Binh, “I liked
the fact that I could start and finish a project very quickly,
but I would get bored, so I started to add color.” His
training in drawing and painting was taking him in some
interesting directions, but he soon realized that the art of
turning wood on a lathe was more difficult than it looked.
Hoping to improve his skills, he signed up for a class at a
local woodworking shop with a master craftsman named
Leonard Fletcher Hartline. In Hartline, he would find a
life–long friend and mentor, and his tutelage under Hartline
21
About The Artist
Looking back at the years I was
struggling in the Communist regime, no
one could have imagined that I would one
day have the life that I have now… a very
fortunate man with a beautiful family.
d
Tradition
113year
Season’s Feature
Balancing his career as an artist with his role as a husband and
father requires dedication and discipline. Binh Pho retains his
full time job during the day as the manager of the electrical
division at Eaton. Mornings and evenings he spends with his
family, and then, after the children have gone to bed, he works in
his studio until late at night. Saturdays he spends the whole day
in the studio, while Sundays are devoted entirely to his family.
Colleagues have often asked him why he does not pursue his
art full time. His response is always the same, “If I quit my full
time job, then turning will become work, and I won’t enjoy it. I
do this because it is fun for me. I do it because I enjoy it. I don’t
want it to become a must; it would take the fun away from it.”
Big Rock Plowing Match
“It is one of the last events of its kind still in existence today.”
- Roger Hatfield, President of the Association
While Binh may find fun in his work, there is no question that
the work itself is met with serious regard from the art world.
Binh’s pieces, once sold by Binh himself at weekend craft
fairs, are now carried at the Delmano gallery in Los Angeles
and the Function and Art Gallery in Chicago. One of his
pieces resides in the White House collection. He is recognized
among collectors, gallery owners, and peers as a talented and
innovative artist.
His artistry transforms a heavy log
of box elder wood, a member of
the maple family, into a delicate
vessel in which negative spaces
interlock with solid surfaces. These
combine with intense hand drawn
detailing and brilliant hand painted
and airbrushed colors to complete
the piece.
Perhaps Binh Pho’s life, like one of his sculptures, is defined as
much by what was taken away as by what is left behind--by the
negative space as much as the positive. In light of all that has
happened since the day he was left behind in the courtyard of the
American embassy in Saigon, it might be difficult to say whether
the art of Binh Pho could have existed without the struggle that
preceded it. Binh Pho, however, would have no trouble at all.
Binh Pho would say it was his destiny.
Each piece takes Binh about 100
hours to complete. He starts with
a heavy log that he turns into a
delicate vessel. Binh then applies
the pattern with pencil and uses
pyrography (wood burning) to
trace over the drawing. To create
the texture he uses a tool called a
“presto” (the same tool dentists use
to make false teeth). The same tool
is used to cut out pieces in order to
create “empty” space. In the final
step Binh adds color, using both an
airbrush and hand painting.
22
23
Season’sFeatures
Feature
Season’s
d
W
hen the Big Rock Plowing Match began in 1895,
the plows were pulled by horses or mules. The purpose
of the event was to promote better techniques in plowing
and to bring the farmers and their families together for
a day of friendly rivalry that focused on this important
aspect of agriculture. Over the decades, however, the
competition grew into the biggest social event of the
season for the Big Rock community. Everyone in the
community attended, and a packed train, filled with
enthusiastic spectators, even rolled in from the city.
Women came dressed in their Sunday best, wearing
long flowing dresses that swept the ground and large
extravagant hats that completed their outfits. They
visited and caught up on the events of each other’s lives
as they prepared the food for that night’s feast. The men
traded stories and compared skills in the field while
children ran and played games with their playmates.
Today the plowing contestants use tractors, most of
which are antiques that have little to do with the day to
day operation of a modern farm. Nevertheless, the Big
Rock Plowing Match continues to be the highlight of the
year. Attending the event has become a tradition passed
down from generation to generation. Big Rock native,
Craig Thomas, grew up attending the plowing matches
every year. “It is truly a reunion for the people around
“I grew up attending this event. It truly is a
reunion for people, and they look forward to it.”
- Craig Thomas
24
d
here,” he notes. Thomas, who plays an important role
in running the matches, started plowing when he was
only nine years old. His great grandfather helped found
the competition, and Craig sees himself as part of an
unbroken line. “My great grandfather started plowing
when he was 9, and he thought it would be a fine thing
if I followed in his footsteps,” says Craig. “My son also
started plowing at an early age.”
The first plowing match was held on the farm of William
Thomas, one mile north of the village of Big Rock.
Thomas was the first President of the Big Rock Plowing
Match Association, which in 1949 purchased land in
Big Rock and named it Plowman’s Park. More land for
plowing was purchased by Dwight and Anna Davis in
1957, creating a permanent home for the competition
with ample space for the main attraction. This year
was the 113th anniversary of the competition, and as
always, families came from near and far to socialize and
enjoy the competition. Events have been added over
the years, and the one-day event has now grown to a
three-day event, but the plowing match still retains its
traditional charm. As they have for over a century, the
citizens of Big Rock look forward to the third weekend
of September as one of the highlights of their year.
Tradition notwithstanding, it takes a great team to pull off this successful event every year. A volunteer board runs
the Big Rock Plowing Match Association, and all of the activities at the Plowing Match are organized and manned
by volunteers. Roger Hatfield has been the president of the association for the last 21 years and on the board since
1967. Roger says he’s “proud that such a big event is held every year in a small town. It is one of the last events
of its kind still in existence today.” Some of Roger’s favorite memories of the competition come from the 100th
anniversary of the plowing match. “People came back that I had not seen for 20 years,” says Roger, “and I had the
honor of introducing Orion Samuelson.” Samuelson, an agricultural icon, has served as the Agricultural Service
Director at WGN Radio since 1960 and has been recognized for his life-long commitment to agriculture. “That,”
says Roger, “was a great moment for me.”
Season’s Feature
dd
plowman’s park
Big Rock, IL
Bonnie Warchol, a member of the board for 17 years, is in charge of the horse show. “It’s a lot of work,” she
confesses, “but I really enjoy it. I want to see the event continue on for years to come.” Big Rock Township
Supervisor, Sandy Carr, has been on the board for 13 years and runs the Junior Fair. “I think it’s neat seeing the
children get involved at such a young age. It’s something they can grow up with and stay involved in,” says Sandy.
“It’s the involvement of the kids that really ties the community together. It’s nice for families who are going in
sixteen different directions to take a weekend off, forget the outside distractions, and get back to their roots. The
event truly is a touchstone for people in our community.”
Big Rock Plowing Match Activities
Plowing Competition
Craft, Art, & Antique Fair
Round Bale Roll-Off
Ladies Fair & Auction of Baked Goods
Horse Show
Prairie Railroad Club
Junior Fair
Beef Show & Auction
Children’s Pedal Tractor Pull
Vegetable & Grain Show
Horseshoe Tournament
Children’s Races
Food, Rides, and More…
Craig Thomas
Bonnie Warchol
25
november
october
Country View
2007
Sunday, October 14th
Annual Cortland Parade
Post-parade, head to the Cortland Community Park for food and fun.
Sunday, November 4th
Glidden Homestead Tours
12 pm – 4 pm
Friday, October 19th
Fall on State - presented by Kishwaukee Family YMCA
Dusk - City parking lot for movie. Bring blankets, etc.
Refreshments will be served.
Thursday, November 8th
Egyptian Theatre Movie
“Nightmare Before Christmas” shown for free.
7 pm - 135 N. 2nd St., DeKalb
Sunday, October 21st
Sandwich Sportsmans’ Club Buffet Breakfast
7 am – 11 am - Open to the public
November 9th – 10th
Craft Show - Luncheon Available
Hinckley Community Building
Saturday - 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday - 10 am – 4 pm
Wednesday, October 24th
Judging for Festive Fall Home Decorating Contest
Hinckley Park District
Downtown Sycamore Trick or Treating
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
November 10th – 11th
28th Annual Christmas in the Country School Craft Show
Saturday - 9 am – 4 pm / Morning breakfast with Santa.
Sunday - 11 am – 4 pm
October 24th – 28th
Pumpkin Festival & 10K Run
Courthouse lawn for food, pumpkins, contests and more.
October 26th – 31st
The Egyptian Theatre Haunted House
135 N. 2nd Street, DeKalb - Over 20 rooms on 6 different levels.
Saturday, October 27th
Halloween Fest - Hinckley Park District
6 pm – 9:30 pm - Plowman’s Park
November 11th
November Wonderful World of Christmas
10 am – 4 pm - Genoa–Kingston High School, Genoa
November 11th – 15th
World War I & II Exhibit
Nehring Gallery, DeKalb - Poster collections from those eras.
Wednesday, October 31st
Haunted House - Hinckley Lions Club
November 16th – 17th
Holiday Artists Sale
Nehring Gallery, DeKalb
Genoa Trick or Treat - 4 pm – 8 pm
Saturday, November 17th
“A Village Christmas”
Jonamac Orchard - Haunted Corn Maze, Malta
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
Oct.
5&6
[ Friday & Saturday ]
12 & 13
[ Friday & Saturday ]
19, 20 & 21 [ Friday, Saturday & Sunday ]
26, 27 & 28 [ Friday, Saturday & Sunday ]
November 23rd – 25th
Chocolate Weekend
Enjoy complimentary chocolate, courtesy of Discover Sycamore.
Downtown Sycamore
COL OR KE Y
From dark until 10 pm.
Admission is $8 for Adults, $6 for kids 4-12.
26
Friday, November 30th
Citywide Olde Town Christmas Walk
6 pm – 10 pm - Sandwich
DeKalb
Malta
Genoa
Sycamore
Shabbona
Cortland
Sandwich
Hinckley
Calendar
of Artist
Events
About The
Amber Wavesof Grain
Wednesday, October 10th
Fall Progressive Dinner - Enjoy a five course meal by visiting
different locations for each course around Sycamore.
Kirkland
Saturday, December 1st
Christmas in Kirkland - Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Kirkland - Santa, horse drawn carriage ride.
27
S an Francisco Cit yscape, 2001 - Binh Pho
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