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Knox County native to head Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

A Knox County native has been hired as the new director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Heidi Brown-McCreery was born and raised in Abingdon and is a graduate of Illinois State University.

She spent a number of years with the State Farm Insurance Corporate office in Normal. 

She says that was a job that prepared her well for her most recent job as Chief of Staff for the Department of Commerce.

Having only been in the new position with IHPA for about a day she tells WGIL she’s acclimating to her new post.

“I’ve just been over at the office today getting to know the staff and starting to dig my heels in with understanding the agency from the ground up,” Brown-McCreery said yesterday.

Being a Knox County native she says she has fond memories of visiting Bishop Hill, one of the state historic sites she is now in charge of overseeing.

“Being from that area it’s very personal to me,” Brown-McCreery says. “I have a lot of nostalgia for Knox County and that Central Illinois arena.”

The IHPA oversees 56 historic sites around the state as well the Abraham Lincoln Museum and Library.

In a news release Chairman of the IHPA Board of Trustees James Bruner says Brown-McCreery is someone who can “guide this agency into the future.” 

According to the State Journal-Register, Brown-McCreery received the 4-2 nod after being rejected two weeks ago. The seven member board of trustees is primarily split between Republican and Democratic appointment.

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