Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation induced 23 more ISBA members to join their ranks during the Annual Meeting last month at The Abbey on Lake Geneva. Four other Fellows upgraded their levels of contribution.

New Silver Fellows are Terra C. Howard, Regina A. Scannicchio and Frank A. Sommario. Fellows who upgraded to Silver are Sharon L. Eiseman, Steven B. Bashaw and Judy L. Cates. Judge Elizabeth W. Sexton upgraded to Gold Fellow.

The other new Fellows are Peter C. Alexander, Gina M. Arquilla, Perry Browder, Nicholas A. Caputo, Joseph M. Cataldo, Mary Ann Connelly, Jeffrey D. Corso, Tarek Fadel, Robert D. Fink, Kent A Gaertner, Stephen G. Kehoe, Brendan F. Kelly, Theodore G. Kutsunis, Tim Leighton, Nancy L. Martin, Nelson F. Metz, Christina Mungai, Ronald A. Roth, David A. Skryd and Douglas B. Warlick.

Several of the new Bar Foundation Fellows signed up as a result of collegial prodding during the Assembly meeting June 17 by retiring President Bob Downs and other officers.

At last count, 136 (65%) of the 210 Assembly members are Fellows, including 36 Silver Fellows, six Gold Fellows, four Diamond Fellows, three Life Fellows and one Charter Life Fellow.

Several circuits have 100 percent membership of delegates as Fellows: the 18th Circuit with 17, the 6th and 20th Circuits with seven each, the 3rd Circuit with five, and the sole delegate from the 8th Circuit.

Membership in the Fellows of the Illinois Bar Foundation can be achieved with financial contributions that may be spread out as 10-year pledges.

The threshold level for a Fellow is $1,000 or $100 per year. Others are: Silver Fellow, $2,000; Gold Fellow, $5,000; Diamond Fellow, $10,000; Pillar of Profession, $15,000, and Pillar of Foundation, $25,000.

Payments may be made by check to the Illinois Bar Foundation, 424 S. Second St., Springfield, Ill. 62701, or with credit card information by facsimile to (217) 525-0712.

For information about making other tax-deductible contributions, memorials, planned giving, bequests, living trusts, charitable annuities, etc., call the foundation office at (312) 726-6072, or access www.isba.org/ibf.

Congratulations are due to Illinois Bar Foundation executive director Susan M. Pierson, who was married June 10 to Tom Lewers. Her new name is Susan Pierson Lewers, and her e-mail address is smlewers@isba.org.

The ceremony in Susan's home was conducted by 18th Circuit Judge Robert J. Anderson, who is married to ISBA President Irene F. Bahr.

Jordan Phillips has joined the Bar Foundation staff in Chicago, where she was an intern last summer.