Jim Kinney
Member of the Illinois Bicentennial Commission

REALTOR® Jim Kinney has been a member of the Illinois Bicentennial Commission since December 2016 but his thoughts have been on the state’s 200th birthday since his term as Illinois REALTORS® 2015 president.

Kinney’s interest in the state’s history and the way it could be integrated to demonstrate the community-mindedness of REALTORS® across the state led to the formation of the association’s 22-member Illinois Bicentennial Task Force.

“I knew by appointing Vicky Turner and Sheryl Grider Whitehurst as chair and vice chair they would have enough time to put REALTORS® on the map in Illinois as leaders in our communities,” Kinney, vice president of luxury home sales for Baird & Warner in Chicago, says. “I am so proud of them. Together with our staff members, volunteers and local associations have really stepped up to the challenge.”

With bicentennial projects taking shape throughout the state, REALTORS® and residents are remembering the historical figures that have shaped the Illinois we know today. Turner, a broker with Crawford Realty in Dixon and Kinney explain their involvement in the yearlong celebration.

Q. How did you get involved?

Kinney – I was pushing to get involved with the state’s bicentennial during former Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration because I knew it would take a lot of pre-planning to be successful. But it didn’t happen until Gov. Bruce Rauner took office. The state didn’t have any money, so the bicentennial projects had to be funded by private sources.

Q. What are your responsibilities?

Kinney – As one of the Bicentennial Commissioners appointed by the governor, I help craft the events that celebrate our state’s birthday. Along with being an early player and sharing a laundry list of suggestions, I acted as a liaison with the Illinois REALTORS® on the creation of the Bicentennial Plaza, and I participated in various fundraising events.

Q. Can you explain your goals for the task force?

Vicky Turner
Chair, Illinois REALTORS® Bicentennial Task Force

Turner – We want the public to recognize the service work REALTORS® contribute to their own communities. REALTORS® see and appreciate the strengths of their communities, and they take pride in helping to improve areas that require extra attention. You would be hard-pressed to find an Illinois community that isn’t touched in some positive way by a REALTOR®.

Q. Will the theme ‘REALTORS® working with heart’ live on after the bicentennial?

Turner – Absolutely. First, it truly does describe our organization. Second, it’s a perfect way to describe our personal investment in our communities. Third, I think it could become a message shared nationwide via the National Association of REALTORS®.  Every state and every association could embrace this message. Fourth, we all “give back” in our own way to our communities, the places where we work, live, play and believe in. We aren’t always good at promoting that message, so continuing to use the theme is a perfect way to share our dedication. 

Q. What is your local association’s legacy project?

Turner – I’m proud to say our HomeTown Association of REALTORS® is taking on two projects. One is helping to update the infrastructure of the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb. A gem of a bygone era, the theatre’s history can be traced back to the 1922 discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, which set off an interest in everything Egyptian. The theatre hosts many different entertainment opportunities through the year and the project will help sustain this golden beauty for years to come.

Our second project is helping to repair windows on President Ronald Reagan’s boyhood home in Dixon. This home welcomes tens of thousands of visitors each year, young, old, national and international. Though Reagan lived many places, including the White House, he always referred to Dixon “as a place to come home to.”

Q. How do you see these projects from a tourism angle?

Turner – Our projects perfectly partner with tourism by entertaining and educating the public. Illinois has had four presidents – Grant, Lincoln, Reagan and Obama – who were either born in Illinois or lived a significant part of their life here. Also, Bloomington has the David Davis Mansion and Springfield has Edwards Place, both have historical ties to Abraham Lincoln. With 29 local associations participating in 36 projects, we have truly planted our bicentennial heart flags throughout Illinois.

Q. Has it been an advantage for REALTORS® to work on different aspects of the bicentennial?

Turner – Yes! Jim’s early vision put Illinois REALTORS® way ahead of the game. It didn’t take long for our local associations to identify great historical projects in their communities that would tie in to a history theme. We can thank CEO Gary Clayton for shaping the Bicentennial Plaza project, and the lasting value it will provide to surrounding historic sites, like the Lincoln Home and the Illinois Executive Mansion. Again, it comes back to ‘REALTORS® working together with heart.’

Kinney – The task force has done a great job in getting the word out to local associations and stoking the pride and enthusiasm of our members. I’m looking forward to hearing the success stories from our community projects and seeing the names of colleagues on the Bicentennial Plaza’s bricks.  And of course, I can’t wait to see the state’s 200th Birthday Party next December in Chicago.