Island Lake resident named outstanding volunteer by Midwest Young Artists

Ken Michaels, a resident of Island Lake, will be honored by Midwest Young Artists at a luncheon hosted by Women in Development North on Tuesday, May 5, at the Evanston Golf Club.

Michaels has been an active member of the Midwest Young Artists' board for six years and for the last two has been on the executive committee. Before becoming a board member, he volunteered on concert days, tirelessly arranging and re-arranging setups on stage for the orchestras and shepherding students to be at the right place at the right time. His willingness to help and involvement in this non-profit community music school has recently increased substantially. In his capacity as a lawyer, he has been guiding the MYA board through the purchase of land and in the planning for development of the property. He has worked tirelessly to make sure board members are well informed to make decisions regarding the building of a performance venue that will house not only MYA but many Lake County and North Shore nonprofit arts organizations as well. According to Tom Sharp, board president, "without Ken Michaels, we would be like a ship without a rudder".

Michaels is active in his parish. An adjunct professor of the John Marshall School of Law, he is a founding partner in the Chicago law firm of Bauch and Michaels.

Founded in 1985, Women in Development North is dedicated to advancing women in the fundraising profession who work on the north side of Chicago or in the North or Northwest suburbs, as well as women in transition and those interested in the fundraising field. With close to 100 members, WIDN offers monthly, educational lunch programs on a variety of topics that are eligible for continuing education credit; networking; mentoring opportunities; professional resources; and job leads. WIDN hosts a volunteer recognition luncheon every other year.