2025 Hall of Fame Inductees

Arts, Sports, and Entertainment
Valentino DeCastris, known to the music world as “Val Eddy” was born on July 3, 1926, in Rockford, Illinois. Val was a professional musician for all his life, and it was his only job. He played the bass, mandolin, and banjo and was a vocalist, bandleader, and music teacher.  Music came easily to him. At age 12, he performed with his first band, the Val Eddy Band, at the Montague House on Wall Street in south Rockford. While at West High School, Val was offered a tour with internationally famous Boyd Rayburn’s band, but his father insisted that he graduate first. He then toured the country with the legendary Del Courtney Band and popular vocalist Bob Vincent, whose hit record was number one on the charts. He appeared with the Lawrence Welk Orchestra and performed at elegant establishments with various bands. He performed at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, the Edgewater Beach in Chicago, and the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Called to duty in World War II, he joined the Army’s Marching Band and was admitted to the Army’s prestigious Dance Band. Throughout his career, Val was blessed with a treasure trove of devoted fans, collaborators, and friends around the country. In 2002, Val was honored by the State of Illinois when Representative Chuck Jefferson introduced a congratulatory State Resolution in the Illinois House of Representatives that paid tribute to his career. Val Eddy was a local treasure who brought joy to countless people throughout his long and illustrious career.

Community Service
Dr. John Kahler has made extraordinary contributions to community service through his lifelong dedication to providing medical care to underserved populations both domestically and internationally. His career spans over 50 years in medicine, with the first 34 years spent as a pediatrician at Cook County Hospital (now John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital) in Chicago, serving many of the city's most vulnerable children. After retirement in 2017, he dedicated his remaining years entirely to humanitarian medical work. Dr. Kahler's international humanitarian work has taken him to clinics across the globe, including Jordan, Lebanon, Greece, Haiti, Mexico, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Columbia, Tanzania, Honduras, and Syria. He administers to places torn apart by fear and violence, despite the danger, because he knows that is where he is needed most. His work spans disaster response, refugee care, and building sustainable healthcare systems in conflict zones. Most notably, in 2013, after being deeply affected by chemical attacks on Syrian children in Ghouta, Dr. Kahler expanded his medical work abroad, saying "It touched my heart and seared my soul. I was changed at that moment." This led to his dangerous mission to Aleppo in 2016, where he was among the last Western doctors to work in the besieged city. Dr. Kahler's legacy represents an extraordinary commitment to serving the world's most vulnerable populations, transforming from a successful Chicago pediatrician into one of the most dedicated humanitarian doctors of his generation, continuing his mission well into his 70s with no signs of slowing down.

Education
Mary Frisk Loken has had an incredible career in education (spanning over 60 years) and has been a tremendous asset and advocate to the communities of Springfield and Sangamon County. A Springfield resident, Mary received the State Journal-Register’s First Citizen Award when she was 52 and working as the school district’s director of alternative and special programs. Mary was recognized as a longtime educator, community volunteer and advocate for children with disabilities. She also served as assistant superintendent before retiring from the district in 1993. Following her retirement, Mary continued working and volunteering for the benefit of causes focusing on women, children and education. She has served as a volunteer on the boards of the Youth Service Bureau, YMCA, Goodwill Industries, Planned Parenthood, Junior League of Springfield, Family Service Center, Lutheran Social Services and United Way of Central Illinois. A longtime member of Springfield’s Lutheran Memorial Church, Mary said her faith has shaped her philosophy 

Labor Force
Michael E. Massie, through his private sector company, has demonstrated leadership in the areas of workforce services and economic development. Massie & Quick, LLC, provided a professional platform for Attorney Massie to serve as a leader in the local workforce system through the establishment and continuous improvement of workforce services for justice-impacted individuals in custody and returning citizens. His work was business-led and business-driven, resulting in economic development activities, employment, business expansion, and improved public safety. Through Mike’s encouragement, Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center corrections professionals made significant contributions to the economic viability of the local workforce area, both in expanded employment and community service. Mike demonstrated a State of Illinois leadership role as a Governor-appointed business member of Illinois Workforce Innovation Board (IWIB), representing the sectors of law, public safety, corrections, and security. For many years, he served as Co-Chairperson, Career Pathways for Targeted Populations (CPTP) Committee, in which he was widely recognized for his Venn diagrams showing logical relational aspects of our workforce system. Through his committee work and engagement with his peers, he not only ramped up services to those achieving a second chance but also improved programs for youth and people who are differently abled.