Interesting People—a monthly WTVP series hosted by Peoria, Illinois, attorney and media personality Ed Sutkowski—features half-hour conversations with a wide range of interesting individuals about their lives, careers, ideas, goals, and accomplishments.
Robert J. Vega was born and raised in Humboldt Park, then his mother moved him at 12 to Indiana for better school options. A stint in the U.S. Navy turned Vega into a teacher. Commissioned as a bugler on the historic U.S.S. Constitution battleship, Vega presented naval artifacts to schoolchildren on a tour called “Ironsides Across the Nation.” The connection stuck with him, so did his family musical roots (which included mariachi bands), and he became a music teacher at the Berklee College of ...
Don Carrel graduated from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in business management, married his college sweetheart, Karen and became a father of two sons, Christopher and Matthew. Five years after his marriage, he reported to Karen that he was gay and that a divorce was the only solution. Don now resides in Mission, Kansas with his partner Chris and theirs dogs, Ellie and Emma. Don has been living with AIDS since 1995. He suspects he was infected with HIV in...
Don Carrel graduated from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in business management, married his college sweetheart, Karen and became a father of two sons, Christopher and Matthew. Five years after his marriage, he reported to Karen that he was gay and that a divorce was the only solution. Don now resides in Mission, Kansas with his partner Chris and theirs dogs, Ellie and Emma. Don has been living with AIDS since 1995. He suspects he was infected with HIV in...
Dr. Benita Katzenellenbogen, Swanlund Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, was named the recipient of the 2011 Women in Endocrinology Mentor Award. She is an internationally recognized scientist in the field of molecular endocrinology, with a focus on estrogen signaling and breast cancer. Dr. Katzenellenbogen has published over 300 research articles in peer reviewed journals and has won numerous research awards, including the Endocrine ...
Host Ed Sutkowski talks with Marilyn Webb distinguished professor of journalism and author of 'The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life'. Marilyn is co-founder of the journalism program at Knox College. She previously taught at the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University and as editor-in-chief of Psychology Today. She was a senior editor at Woman's Day and McCall's magazines and the author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, The Good Death: The New Amer...
Stephen L. Ferguson, Esq., is chairman of the Board of Cook Incorporated, a Bloomington, Indiana based privately held manufacturer of medical devices. Since deceased Bill Cook and his surviving spouse, Gayle, formed Cook in 1963 with a $1,500 investment. It now manufacturers more than 16,000 products used in over 42 medical specialties, employs 12,500 individuals world wide in 17 locations in 4 continents. Its sales exceed $1.7 billion; the $1,500 investment is now worth approximately $6 billi...
Mauri A. Ditzler, Ph.D., a 1975 summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, graduate of Wabash College, majored in chemistry, with a minor in speech. In 1979, he received his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Duke University and attained full professor status at the College of Holy Cross in 1987. Dr. Ditzler was the Dean of College of Arts and Sciences at Milliken University and returned to Wabash College in 1999. He was appointed the 13th President of Monmouth College in 2005. Dr. Ditzler discussed the...
The '85 Super Bowl Champion Bears is ranked by more than a few as the greatest NFL team of all time. The team was comprised of more than a few "diverse" personalities, e.g., Jim McMahon, William "the Refrigerator" Perry, Mike Singletary and Gary Fencik. The guests discussed the iconic nature of the team, their relationship with the best running back of all times, Walter Payton, the tension between coach "Iron Mike" Ditka, once a Bear all-pro tight end and supreme motivator, and Buddy Ryan, the...
Host Ed Sutkowski talks with Rev. Dr. Joseph M. Meyer who is the Senior Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church. Pastor Joe received his Doctor of Ministry in Homiletics - the study of composition and delivery of a sermon, including all forms of preaching, viz., sermon, homily and catechetical instruction. He discussed his view as to the beginning of the world, the role of religion and the composition of the human brain - 90 billion neurons linked by 100 trillion synapses as contrasted with the WWW...
Host Ed Sutkowski talks with Phil Luciano who is an award winning columnist at the Peoria Journal Star. Phil, a graduate of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, began his journalistic career as an editor of The Northern Star, NIU's student newspaper. He experienced his first professional experience by contributing to the removal of NIU's then-current President, Clyde Wingfield. Phil then received his MA in public affairs reporting from Sangamon State, now known as the University o...
