The Waubonsee Community College Foundation recently welcomed three new directors, Jim Eccher of Sugar Grove, Trish Rooney of Plainfield, and Hector Villarreal of Naperville.
Mr. Eccher is the President and CEO of Old Second National Bank and has served for 30 years. He became President and CEO in October 2003 as the seventh president in the 150-year history of the bank. He has served as President and CEO for Old Second Bancorp, Inc. since January 2015 and as a member of the Bank and Bancorp board of directors. Early in his career, Mr. Eccher was President of the Bank of Sugar Grove, a subsidiary of Old Second Bancorp and now an Old Second branch.
Mr. Eccher serves as a board member for the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley. He is also past Chairman of the Greater Aurora Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, a past board member of the Aurora YMCA, and a past board member for the Rush Copley Healthcare Foundation and Governing Board. He holds a Master of Science in Finance from Aurora University and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from St. Joseph’s College.
Ms. Rooney is currently the Vice President of Programs for Fox Valley United Way’s (SPARK) Strong, Prepared, and Ready for Kindergarten program. In this role, she collaborates with Aurora community school districts, community-based early childhood programs, local Head Start programs, and agencies to ensure that all children are prepared to enter Kindergarten. Ms. Rooney also supports early childhood collaborative efforts in Kane and Kendall County communities and through United Way’s community impact programs.
Before joining Fox Valley United Way-SPARK, Ms. Rooney served 16 years as the Quality Enhancement Manager for the local Child Care Resource & Referral Program. She oversaw the early childhood training and grants for childcare programs and professionals in DuPage and Kane County, funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and private foundations.
Ms. Rooney is an appointed member of the City of Aurora Education Commission and Governor Pritzker’s Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding Commission. She is also a member of the Illinois Early Learning Council, has served as past co-chair of the Family Engagement Subcommittee, and now serves as the Community Systems Development Subcommittee co-chair. Ms. Rooney holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Child Development from California State University.
Mr. Villarreal is the President and Co-owner of Weldcoa. In the early 90’s he was part of the management team that transitioned Weldcoa from a general welding fabricator into a manufacturer of equipment and services for the compressed gas industry.
In 2000, Mr. Villareal and his business partner purchased Weldcoa from their former employer. Over the next twenty years, he has overseen many automation innovations and processes for the industrial, medical, and specialty gas industries.
Mr. Villareal has served on several industry boards and committees throughout his twenty-six years in the compressed gas industry. Most notably, he served for ten years as a Gas and Welding Distributor Association Regional Chair.
He also served on the American Welding Society’s WEMCO Board for ten years and was the WEMCO Chairman in 2011. Mr. Villareal currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Compressed Gas Association. He has traveled globally as an industry speaker, presenting technology, automation, palletization, and cylinder filling. He has also authored many articles for various industry publications. Mr. Villareal holds a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Columbia College Chicago.
The Waubonsee Community College Foundation is a nonprofit organization that opens the door of knowledge, sparks imagination, and enlightens lives through learning. The Waubonsee Foundation strengthens this vision by providing opportunities for all citizens in the Waubonsee district to have access to quality education through scholarships, educational opportunities, and services.
For information, contact the Development Office at (630) 466-7900, ext. 2316 or visit www.waubonsee.edu/foundation.
