An architect, a media executive and an international businessman received the 2005 Chicago Illini of the Year awards.

Chicago Illini of the Year, left to right: Carol Ross Barney, Thomas H. Miner and Jack Klues

Co-sponsored by the Chicago Illini Club and the University of Illinois Alumni Association, the award recognizes the accomplishments of Chicago-area graduates of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Distinguished alumni recipients are selected on the basis of career achievements, impact on the Chicago community and demonstrated interest in the U of I. The award, which was established in 1997, was presented March 9 at a reception and dinner at the University Club of Chicago.

Carol Ross Barney '71 FAA
President of design firm Ross Barney + Jankowski which she founded in 1981.

Her institutional and public buildings are distinguishable by the way they reflect the history, environment and community culture of their sites. Ross Barney moved into the national spotlight recently for her design of the new federal building in Oklahoma City, replacing the one destroyed by a terrorist bomb in 1995. Her works include the Little Village Academy for the Chicago public schools and the Levy Senior Center in Evanston, among others. Her firm has won numerous awards, including 20 from the American Institute of Architects Chicago.

Jack Klues '77 COM
Chairman and CEO of the award-winning Starcom MediaVest Group in Chicago, one of the world's largest media-buying firms.

The vast agency network he leads includes nearly 3,500 media professionals from 89 markets around the world. Klues began his career in 1977 at Leo Burnett, becoming the company's U.S. media director in 1994 and worldwide media director in 1996. He helped form Starcom in 1997 as a separate media management firm for Leo Burnett and became Starcom's CEO in 1999.

Thomas H. Miner JD '53 LAW
President and CEO of Thomas H. Miner & Associates Inc., an international business consulting firm.

Created in 1960, the company's clients include large and small American firms, the U.S. state and commerce departments, and foreign companies and governments. Convinced that many American firms lack the information to take full advantage of international opportunities, Miner has brought world leaders to Chicago for more than four decades. In turn, Miner has also escorted Midwest business leaders around the world and furthered U.S. business interests abroad.