Danville Area Community College president Dr. Stephen Nacco took some time with Neuhoff Media to remember former State Rep Bill Black, who passed away this past weekend. Eleven years ago, the Williams B. Black Health Professions Center was dedicated on the DACC campus. And as many remember, Black also spent some time on the DACC Board of Trustees.
Dr. Nacco says, when Black spoke at at DACC Board meeting, people noticed.
AUDIO: He was like a 20th century white knuckled politician who could deliver a speech on a dime; dazzle a crowd. He used to make board meetings so lively.
Dr. Nacco says DACC owes a lot to Bill Black, as does the entire area for many reasons.
AUDIO: And he really got Danville, and specifically DACC, what we needed to be in good repair. We have pictures of him with the groundbreaking at Vermilion Hall, which was renovation here. His building in the Mary Miller Complex; that’s where our Health Care, Nursing, Echo, Sono. His footprints are here, like the elected official version of Julius Hegeler.
In addition, the man who now holds the Illinois State Representative seat once occupied by Bill Black, Mike Marron, added the following:
Bill was the greatest, the gold standard of public servants. He remains a legend in Springfield to this day, and a hero to all of us in Vermilion County. We will miss him.
