Sandburg senior earns area’s first Pharm Tech license
Grace Pierson, a senior at Sandburg High School in Orland Park, recently completed the Pharmacy Tech Boot Camp program, making her the first Eagle to complete the program and making Sandburg the first high school in the south suburbs to offer such a program.
The program consists of classroom hours as well as 20 clinical hours in a hospital for hands-on training. Pierson not only completed the program, she earned her Pharm Tech license and a job offer at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, where she performed her in-person shadowing.
Pierson plans on attending North Central College and becoming a physician’s assistant to work with people with special needs.
“I am extremely grateful to have been exposed to the pharmaceutical environment,” she said. “And am very happy to have been a part of this program.”
Homewood’s Butler named Newcomer of the Year in college wrestling
Jermaine Butler, a entrepreneurship major and athlete on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestling team, has been named the 2023-24 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year.
Butler battled to a runner-up finish in the WIAC Tournament, claimed bronze in the 2024 NCAA Upper Midwest Regional and qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in his first year representing University of Wisconsin-Whitewater on the mat. The 157-pounder went 2-2 in his first NCAA Championship appearance.
He wrapped up the 2023-24 campaign with a 30-13 mark against Division III opponents. He registered four pins, including a fastest fall of 1:05 on the season, six technical falls and six major decisions. He shared team-high honors in extra-point victories this season with 16.
Franciscan Health Olympia Fields names new vice presidents
Franciscan Health Olympia Fields has added two new vice presidents to its ranks. Dr. Fulton Porter III is the new vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer and Michael Randall is the new vice president of strategy and business development.
Porter, who began in his current role in late January, came to Franciscan from Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana, where he was medical director of the hospitalist program. Prior to joining the Community Hospital staff, he served as chief hospitalist for WellGroup Health Partners in Chicago Heights. He’s also been a clinical instructor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and previously worked at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields from 2007 to 2013.
Randall, who assumed his new role in February, came to Franciscan from Duly Health and Care in Downers Grove, where he was vice president of medical specialties, leading multiple service lines including cardiology, cancer care and pulmonology and others. Prior to Duly, Randall worked in various leadership roles at Advocate Health and at Sg2 and The Camden Group as a healthcare consultant.
Lemont’s Rivera named Cook County associate judge
Lemont’s Antara Nath Rivera was one of three new associate judges recently selected in a vote of Cook County Circuit Court judges.
Ballots listing the names of six finalists, chosen from 65 interviewed applicants, were distributed to 247 circuit judges. Rivera, 50, was admitted to the Bar in 2002. Rivera attended college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and law school at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. Rivera’s current affiliation is the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, Chicago.
Orland Park’s Piko inducted into honor society
Orland Park’s Catherine Piko was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Piko was initiated at The University of Alabama.
Champlain College fall president’s list
Mark Killion, Oak Lawn
Troy University 2023-2024 chancellor’s list
Basheer Abdeen, Hickory Hills
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