Dec. 16, 2009 Forum Speaker: Scott Stantis

Stantis was with Birmingham News since 1996 and produced a weekly editorial cartoon for USA Today. He is a past president of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and was the creator of the popular comic strip The Buckets, which is currently drawn by Greg Cravens.

A California native, Stantis has been married for more than two decades to his col- lege sweetheart, Janien. They have two college-age sons and live in Hoover, Ala., where Stantis likes to read, write, paint and curse his lawn.
He's a graduate of Los Angeles Harbor College (Art, Journalism).

He was just hired as the Chicago Tribune editorial cartoonist and produces five edi- torial cartoons a week, and one a week for USA Today.The editorial cartoons are syn- dicated to over 400 newspapers by Creators News Service.

He's the creator of the internationally syndicated comic strip Prickly City which appears in over 100 newspapers.

:Dec. 2, 2009 Forum Speaker: Rep. Connie Howard

Constance A. “Connie” Howard is a full-time legislator, having served as State Representative of the 34th District since January 11, 1995. She is currently in her seventh term. The 34th District includes a major portion
of the Southeast side of Chicago, including parts of the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 21st wards, and portions of the villages of Burnham, Calumet City, and Lansing in south suburban Cook County.

She has served as Democratic State Central Committeewoman of the First Congressional District of Illinois, since 1984, having been appointed to that
position in that year, and then elected in 1986, 1990, and 1994. Representative Howard was also successful in her efforts to be elected as alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1984 and 1988. In addition to involvement as a candidate in electoral political activities, Howard has also been a participant in numerous political campaigns--both in volunteer and compensated capacities. Volunteer activities for more than 20 years include the local level, as well as county,
state and national campaigns- -most recently, selected races in March 1994 and Braun for Senate and Clinton for President, in 1992.

Additionally, she has functioned in staff positions for various political campaigns, and political education and voter registration capacities.
She is a member of ten House Committees: Appropriations Public Safety, Computer Technology, (Vice Chair) Human Services, (Chair) Judiciary II, Labor, Transportation, Regulation, Roads & Bridges, Special Committee on Prison Reform, Special Committee on Railroad Industry, and the Parents and Community Accountability Study Committee created by Senate Joint Resolution 5. In addition, she is a member of the Legislative Reference Bureau Board.

As a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, her interests have focused on improving the quality of life for those she serves. Among her special legislative interests are: Computer Technology, Education, Health Care, Housing, Employment and Training, Programs for the Disabled, Adoption and Foster Care, Neighborhood Safety, the Public Welfare System
and the Environment. She is also a member of the Conference of Women Legislators (COWL).

Representative Howard’s previous employment has also included community action, management and administration, public and community relations’ responsibilities. Educated in the Chicago Public School system, Howard holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree (Liberal Arts) and a Master of Science Degree (Corrections and Criminal Justice) from Chicago State University.

Nov. 11, 2009 Forum Speaker: John Katsantonis

John Katsantonis has been a professional journalist, publicist, humorist, and musician for 40 years. He is
principal of The Katsantonis Group, a media service that “levels the playing field” for entrepreneurs and
nonprofit organizations, providing the same level of editorial exposure enjoyed by ‘Fortune 500’ corporations.
He also is senior VP at Northstar Counselors, Minneapolis-based founder of Pinnacle Worldwide (a global network of more than 1,200 PR professionals), and is editor of their global newsletter. He has provided
public policy, media and marketing counsel to more than 100 businesses worldwide, including Dell, AT&T, and IBM.

A former writer/producer for Twin Cities Public Television, he has interviewed musical forces including Dave Brubeck, The Ramones, Yes, and The Who. He has also performed alongside members of Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Supertramp, and the Doobie Brothers. He began specializing in technology in 1983. Locally, he has contributed to The May Report and Midwest-Business.com, where his technology business column “Raising Minnesota” and “The New Religion,” an entertainment- technology column, ran weekly. His byline has appeared in the Dallas Times Herald and The Dallas Morning News, as well as Telephony, Government Computer News, and dozens of other publications.  Current assignments include Editor-In-Cheese of “The Daily Python” at www.pythonline.com for British comedy masters Monty Python, and as “The Triviologist” for TotoNetwork.com, a social web portal for the fan base of TOTO, whose Grammy-award winning members performed on such albums as Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

A Chicago native, John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Journalism from Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, where he studied under the late Senator Hubert H. Humphrey, as well as former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Arthur Flemming. He served Legislative Co-Chairman of PRSA/North Texas, and as a board member of the Business Marketing Association (BMA) and the American Marketing Association (AMA) DFW chapters. His dedication to the public good includes co-chairing the North Texas Partnership for a Drug-Free America, working with numerous drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities, and has won the prestigious “Silver Spur Award” from the Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA).

Oct. 28, 2009 Forum Speaker: Ron May

Publisher and editor of, reporter and commentator for, an on-line (both web-based and e-mailed) newsletter
dealing with business issues in the high tech community in Chicago, IL, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin.  The May Report is a combination of gossip and rumor, serious reporting, opinions, press releases, event listings, “scoops,” reader comments, etc. Topics are tied to growth issues for start-ups through the IPO stage of development, and there is some discussion of firms like Tellabs, EMC and Motorola. 

Ron is a combination of watch dog, pot-stirrer, investigator, rumor monger, personality in his own right. He attends many local tech meetings and reports on the contents of the speeches and panels and on the “buzz” he gathers from the attendees. People contact Ron by email and phone to give “scoops” and inside info. The May Report started in August 1988 as a column for the Chicago Computer Guide, a free monthly trade rag distributed in boxes throughout the Chicagoland area. In August 1992, May shifted his focus from general IT career and trends issues to a discussion of the high tech and entrepreneurial world in Chicago software. 

In 1997, May started the email newsletter, TheMayReport.com, which now goes out to 15,000 readers about three times a week. At its peak, TMR was published between seven and ten times a week. The industries covered include biotech, nanotech, energy, chemicals, IT, internet, telecomm, broadband and fiber initiatives, community wireless issues, digital divide issues, technology commercialization, governmental and non-governmental programs to foster economic development, venture capital, angel investing, M&A deals, and more.

The common denominator is Chicago and entrepreneurial firms. Also, May is known as a polemicist who challenges the ethics and effectiveness of many programs, organizations and businesses. He generally tries to stand up for the little guy, and eschews publicity seekers, self-promoters and poseurs. From September 1981 through December 1998, Ron was an IT recruiter specializing in the placement of technical professionals from programmers to network specialists to DBAs to systems analysts, project leaders, low level managers, systems programmers and more.

Oct. 14, 2009 Kick-off Forum Speaker:  Allen Rafalson

Currently serving eighth term as president of the Chicago Journalists Association consisting of more than 200 reporters/editors representing primarily mainstream media, Mr. Rafalson was recently named Editor-in-Chief of
USC Weekly, an English-language newspaper published by China Star Media Corporation. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago, he is now the president of Chicago-based Rafalson Marketing Communications, Inc., specializing in crisis management, corporate community financial and employee relations, real estate developments, health care and political campaigns.

He has held many positions at various publications including editor of Kraftsman Magazine where he received five journalism awards, including an international honor. International Council of Industrial Editors named it among the ?Best 17 Magazines Worldwide.? While attending high school and college, he was an editorial assistant assigned to City and Sports Desks at the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Daily News. Assignments included writing obits and daily weather reports, sports items, and answering phone inquiries. He was also the managing editor of Generation X Magazine, which was distributed worldwide.

Mr. Rafalson also has a background in theater as an actor with the Hull House Players and he has also written and directed musicals in the Chicago area. He serves on a number of committees and leagues in the city and constantly gives back to the community.