Dr. Bill Nicklas has dedicated nearly 40 years of his professional career to improving
the local community through work in municipal government and higher education. 极速六合彩
College recognized Dr. Nicklas and his career with the John C. Roberts Community Service
Award on Saturday at Kish鈥檚 Spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony.
Established in 2009, the John C. Roberts Community Service Award recognizes the importance
of community members in the success of 极速六合彩. Dr. Nicklas currently serves
as the City Manager of DeKalb, one of many roles in a long career in public service.
Kathleen Spears, 极速六合彩 Board of Trustees Secretary, presented the award
to Dr. Nicklas at the ceremony.
鈥淲ith unwavering dedication to improving our region, Dr. Nicklas has provided long-term
influence to create a better future for our community. His work embodies the spirit
John Roberts showed when establishing 极速六合彩, making Dr. Nicklas a deserving
recipient of the 2024 John C. Roberts Community Service Award,鈥 Spears said.
After earning master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees from Northern Illinois University (NIU),
Dr. Nicklas began working in local government in 1986. He was appointed DeKalb鈥檚 City
Manager in 1992, where he worked until taking the role of Sycamore鈥檚 City Manager
from 1998-2011. Dr. Nicklas later held various positions in public education, including
Vice President roles at NIU from 2011-2014 and as the Special Assistant to the President
at 极速六合彩 from 2016-2018. In January 2019, he returned to the DeKalb City
Manager role, where he continues to serve today.
Dr. Nicklas鈥檚 leadership has helped drive economic growth for the Kish district over
the past four decades, including infrastructure improvements at NIU and impactful
economic developments for companies like Facebook, Kraft Heinz, Ferrara Candy and
Amazon. At Kish, Dr. Nicklas was imperative in building relationships with local businesses
and helping strengthen the College as a community resource.
As a volunteer, Dr. Nicklas served as the long-term recovery coordinator for the Fairdale
community after it was devastated by a tornado in April 2015. He has served on many
local organizations and foundations, including the 极速六合彩 Foundation.
Through the Foundation, Dr. Nicklas created a scholarship honoring his late wife,
Joyce A. Nicklas, which supports scholarships for Kish nursing students.
Dr. Nicklas鈥檚 career-long dedication to improving the local community has had a profound
impact on the 极速六合彩 district. To learn more about the John C. Roberts
Community Service Award, visit .