FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 11/10/98

CONTACT:
Robyn Florian
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Greenville College
(618) 664-2800, ext. 4536

GREENVILLE - Two years ago Greenville College initiated the Minshall Servant Leadership Award to annually recognize a couple or individual who exemplifies servant leadership at Greenville College and to the cause of Christ. At a ceremony Friday evening, President Robert "Ish" Smith announced the 1998 Minshall Servant Leadership Award recipients, Jake and Maxine Whitlock of Springfield, Illinois. Jake Whitlock has served on the Greenville College Board of Trustees since 1967.

Professional Commitment

From their childhood roots in local communities, Coffeen and Sorento, Jake and Maxine both chose to attend Greenville College for undergraduate education. Maxine graduated in 1946 with a degree in teaching. Although Jake's college career began at Greenville, it was later delayed by World War II, where he served in the Pacific with the Army Corps of Engineers. He completed his degree with high honors in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois.

After graduation, Jake was appointed the Montgomery County (Illinois) Highway Engineer. During this time he improved roads and pioneered new types of concrete bridges. A few years later he founded Midwest Prestressed Concrete to manufacture concrete highway and railroad bridge beams. His continuing innovation in the field earned him worldwide recognition as president of the Prestressed Concrete Institute in Chicago.

Jake went on to found Structural Rubber Products with his brother, Dale, to supply materials to the bridge and highway industry. During this time he received three U.S. Patents for his railroad crossing inventions. Jake is a member of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Although Jake and Maxine have received recognition for many achievements, their real devotion is to their family, the Free Methodist Church and Greenville College. Their family includes two sons, Mark and David; their wives, Karen and Martha; and four grandchildren, Doug, Geoff, Aaron and Emily.

Their various roles in the Free Methodist Church include: Sunday school teachers, board and committee members at the Knox Knolls FMC, and board members for the Gateway Conference. Jake has also served as a delegate to the FM General Conference while Maxine has been active in the WMI, the women's missionary program of our church.

Investing in the perpetuation of Greenville College, Jake has served on the Greenville College Board of Trustees for over twenty years. Maxine, a third generation GC student, and Jake also sponsor a scholarship through their local church to assist FM students from Springfield in attending Greenville College. Their sons, daughters-in-laws, and, most recently, their grandson have attended GC as well.

Generous contributors, Jake and Maxine have not only provided financial resources, but have offered their time, talent and prayer in support of these family, church and college communities. In recognition of their sacrificial example of servant leadership, Jake and Maxine Whitlock were named the 1998 Minshall Servant Leadership Award honorees.

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