Champion Community Investments is overseen by a Board of Directors that is representative of each of the five core counties that constitute the organization’s service area. The Board meets monthly, with the activities of the board governed by a comprehensive set of bylaws. Following is the CCI Board of Directors and Officers (effective Sept. 2020):
Ms. Kathy Lively, President
CEO, Management, Training, and Consulting Corporation, Marion, Illinois (Retired)
Kathy Lively holds a Master’s Degree in Workforce Education and Development. She began her work in Adult Basic Education culminating as Associate Dean of Adult Basic and Secondary Education at John A. Logan College. Ms. Lively has recently retired from her 19-year position as CEO of Man-Tra-Con Corporation and currently serves as Special Projects Director. She is Past President of the Illinois Workforce Partnership (IWP), Executive Director of Connect SI, and participates on the Regional Economic Development Corporation, Greater Egypt Planning and Development Commission and Jefferson County Development Corporation boards. As a CCI President, Ms. Lively also serves on the CCI Loan Committee and chairs the Nominating Committee.
Ms. Lively serves as Advisory Member for the Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board collaborating with multiple state agencies and economic development partners. Recent recognitions include: the Southern Business Journal’s “Women in the Know” in June 2017; Southern Illinois University’s “Inspiring Women of Achievement Award” in 2008; the Southern Business Journal’s “Leader Among Us” in 2006; and the 2007 Governor’s Workforce Conference Individual Leadership Award for her contributions to workforce/economic development. Lively recently served as the Illinois delegate to the Delta Regional Authority Leadership Network. A resident of Herrin, she is a Williamson County representative on the Board.
Mr. Steven Mitchell, Vice President
Economic Development Director, City of Carbondale, Carbondale, Illinois
Steven Mitchell is the Economic Development Director for the City of Carbondale, where he directs, supervises and coordinates the economic development activities of the City. In his role as the Economic Development Director, Steve oversees a central office for economic development; serves as the City’s liaison with state, federal, and local economic development agencies; and initiates activities to attract and retain new and existing businesses to Carbondale.
Before accepting his new role with the City, Steve served as the Technology & Communications Manager for the Management, Training & Consulting Corporation in Marion, IL, a position he had held since 1997. Starting in 2007, he also coordinated the activities of broadband Internet providers affiliated with Connnect SI, a regional economic development agency serving 20 counties in Southern Illinois.
Steve earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Management and a Master’s of Business Administration from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and is a 2016 graduate of the Delta Regional Authority’s Delta Leadership Institute Executive Academy. As a CCI Board member, Mr. Mitchell serves on the Marketing Committee.
Ms. Peggy Sims, Treasurer
Vice President, First National Insurance, Pinckneyville, Illinois (Retired)
With more than 35 years of experience in the insurance industry, Peggy Sims began her career as a licensed Independent Insurance Agent in Pinckneyville, IL. In 1997, she joined with the First National Bank in Pinckneyville to begin First National Insurance Services. This new business would complement the list of services already provided by the First National Bank in Pinckneyville. Ms. Sims has recently retired from her position as Vice President of the First National Insurance division at First National Bank.
In January of 2010 Ms. Sims joined the Board of Directors of the First National Bank in Pinckneyville and continues to be a member of the Board. She is very active in her community and is currently an officer for the Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Sims is an active member of her Church where she works in the children’s department. She was a member of the Strategic Planning Committee for Pinckneyville and voted Citizen of the Year in 2001. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Champion Community Investments, representing Perry County, Illinois. She also serves on the CCI Nominating and Marketing Committees.
Tony Iriti, Secretary
Executive Director, Jefferson County
Development Corporation
Tony Iriti’s experience is both from the private sector and the public sector. Iriti began his career working for county government in Ohio as a data center manager/systems analyst, went to work for the Hewlett Packard Corporation and RCA, before returning to county government as an elected official.
Iriti’s government experience includes: sixteen years as the Chief Assessing Officer/Chief Fiscal Officer for Hancock County Ohio. The CAO is responsible for determining the fair-market value of every property within the county. As CFO, he was responsible for budgeting, accounting and financial reporting for the county.
Iriti served as Mayor of Findlay, Ohio, for four years before returning to the private sector (privately funded) as Economic Development Director.
Since returning to the private sector, Tony Iriti has spent 11 years as Economic Development Director for three different organizations in three different states (Ohio, Kentucky, and Illinois). As economic development director, his primary responsibilities centered on industrial development including retention and expansion of existing industry, attraction of new companies, workforce development and entrepreneurship.
Greg Bouhl, Director
Entrepreneur, Educator, Business Advisor, and Investor
Greg Bouhl is an entrepreneur, educator, business advisor, and investor. In addition to holding an MBA and Certified Business Advisor certification, Greg has worked one-on-one with thousands of entrepreneurs to help them start and grow their businesses.
As a CCI Board member, Greg serves on the Finance and Audit Committee.
Dr. Brian Chapman,
Executive Committee Member at Large
Executive Director, Jackson County Growth Alliance,
Jackson County, Illinois
Brian Chapman is the Executive Director of Jackson County Growth Alliance where he directs, supervises and coordinates the economic activity and development in Jackson County, Illinois through the growth, retention, and expansion of primary job enterprises. In his role as Executive Director, Brian leads economic development projects, events, resources, grants, studies, and other activities county-wide and in collaboration with regional businesses, governmental bodies, and interested parties, as well as, serves as a liaison with state, federal, and local economic development agencies.
Dr. Chapman is the former Executive Director for Regional and Intergovernmental Affairs with Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). He was born and raised in Campbell Hill, located in Jackson County, Illinois. He has 3 degrees from SIUC, including his Ph.D. in Political Science/Public Administration and his MPA (Master of Public Administration). Over the past 26 years, Dr. Chapman has served in various roles at SIUC, from fundraiser to Assistant Vice-Chancellor, to Executive Assistant to the System President.
Chris Howton, Director
Commercial Banker/SBA Specialist, Peoples National Bank, Mount Vernon, Illinois
Chris Howton, is a Senior Vice President for Peoples National Bank, N.A where he has worked the last 25 years. Peoples National Bank, N.A. has locations through-out southern Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri. He coordinates their special lending programs with a wide variety of agencies including the Small Business Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Prior to beginning his banking career he served as the Economic Development Director for Southeastern Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission and was a planner for the Private Industry Council, Inc. which administered Job Training Partnership funds in the southern 14 counties of Illinois.
Chris is a past President of the Hamilton County Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as Chairman of the Hamilton County Economic Development Commission. He has served has been the Chairman and is currently a board member for the Southern 14 Workforce Investment Board.
Chris graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois with a Bachelor’s of Science in both Marketing and Finance with a minor in Economics. He resides in Mcleansboro, Illinois with his wife Lori.
Cody Moake, Director
Chief of Staff, City of Marion, Illinois
A 2008 graduate of Marion High School and 2012 graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Cody Moake currently serves as the Chief of Staff for Marion’s Mayor Mike Absher. Cody has spent the last five years working in different levels of government including time with the Illinois State Treasurer’s office. In addition to serving on the CCI Board, Cody also serves as President of the Board for CASA of Williamson County and is an active Marion Rotary member. Cody is currently seeking his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield. He resides in Marion with his wife Rachel and their daughter Abigail.
Lee Messersmith, Director
Mayor of Benton, Illinois
Lee Messersmith is the Mayor of Benton, Illinois. He has formerly served as a Benton City Council member. Lee has also been the facilitator of the Franklin County EDGE high school entrepreneurship program since 2018.
“I’m a quirky different kind of guy. With an eclectic past and career experience, I’ve had the opportunity to rub shoulders and learn from a variety of industries and organizations. I love recycling broken systems and organizations as well as helping get new endeavors up off the ground. The majority of my life experience comes from serving and working in the non-profit sector all the while starting and managing a few of my own business ventures.”
Cary Minnis, Director
Executive Director, Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission (Greater Egypt), Marion, Illinois
Cary Minnis, a life time resident of southern Illinois, is currently in his 12th year as the Executive Director of the Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission. In addition to his role as Executive Director of Greater Egypt, Minnis serves as the Immediate Past President of the Illinois Association of Regional Councils, the Southern Illinois Workforce Development Board as the Treasurer, is a member of the Regional Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, and is on the SI Now Board of Trustees. Prior to his work with Greater Egypt, Minnis spent eight years working at Man-Tra-Con/Connect SI on regional economic development, GIS mapping, workforce development, and healthcare initiatives. Minnis earned both a Master’s of Science Degree in Workforce Education and Development and a Bachelors of Science Degree in Healthcare Management at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
