EFFINGHAM, Illinois – Longtime Effingham civic leader Hank Stephens was recently recognized as the 2022 Richard C. Siemer Outstanding Philanthropist by the Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation.
The Community Foundation highlighted his many years of service to the City of Effingham, the Effingham Community Foundation, Lake Land College and the Richard E. Workman Sports and Wellness Center and countless other community efforts over the years in making this selection.
Stephens is a 1974 graduate of SIU-Carbondale and a 1977 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law. He and his wife Debbie raised three children, Jaclyn, Nicole and Andrew, in Effingham.
“When considering Hank’s nomination, the sheer breadth of his service and leadership made him an obvious choice for this recognition,” said Community Foundation Chairman Chuck Deters of Dieterich Bank. “Few people in our community have served such a multitude of causes in our community. From his longtime service with the city to his tireless work on the Workman Center, Hank has been an integral part of so many projects to better our community and region.”
Named for Teutopolis businessman and philanthropist Richard Siemer of Siemer Milling Company, the Philanthropist of the Year award seeks to recognize those people in southeastern Illinois who have dedicated their time, talent and resources to building better communities.
Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that manages nearly 200 funds that serve the immediate and long-term needs of communities in southeastern Illinois. For more information, contact Alex Pleasant, President/CEO, at 217.342.4988 or visit www.southeasternillinois.org.
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Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation was established in 2009 as a result of a merger between Effingham County Community Foundation (est. 1999) and Mattoon Area Community Foundation (est. 1980). Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization managing permanent and non-permanent assets for the long-term benefit of communities in southeastern Illinois.