Election Moves Online for AASA Presidency: Illinois vs. Wisconsin
A pair of superintendents from Illinois and Wisconsin are contending this year for the presidency of AASA in the first election to be contested primarily through electronic balloting.
Those in the active membership category will participate in online voting from 8 a.m. EST on March 1 until 8 p.m. Daylight Savings Time on April 16 with the election result being made public by AASA on April 19. AASA members will receive voting instructions via e-mail on March 1.
On Feb. 10 the AASA Governing Board approved the nomination of Robert E. Gillum and Patricia E. Neudecker as candidates for AASA president-elect. Gillium has been an AASA member since 2000 and superintendent of the Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5 in Chatham, Ill., and Patricia E. Neudecker, has been an AASA member for seven years and superintendent of the Oconomowoc Area Schools in Oconomowoc, Wis.
The candidates addressed a general session and participated in a Q&A session at the AASA national conference in Phoenix.
Biographical Rundowns

Robert E. Gillum
Superintendent, 2007 to present
Ball-Chatham Community Unit School District 5, Chatham, Ill.
Member:
- AASA, 2000 to present
- Illinois Association of School Administrators, 1997 to present
- School Administrators of Iowa, 1984 to 1997
- AASA Executive Committee, 2007 to present
- AASA Resolutions & Positions Committee
- AASA Governing Board, 2007
- AASA Distinguished Service Award Screening Committee, 2009
Previous Position:
Superintendent, 2000-2007
Sherrard Community Unit School District 200, Sherrard, Ill.
Education:
Ed.S. Western Illinois University, Macomb, Ill., 1997
M.A. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, 1982
B.A. Culver-Stockton College, Canton, Mo., 1978
AASA and other activities:
- AASA activities include: National Conference on Education, Summer Leadership Institutes and Rural School Conferences
- Illinois Association of School Administrators, president, 2008-09, and member of the Board of Directors, 2005 to present
- Illinois State Board of Education Appointment, State Longitudinal Data Team, 2009 to present
- Large Unit District Association of Illinois, Board of Directors, 2007 to present
- Illinois State Superintendent of Schools Appointee – State K-12 Literacy Team, 2007-08
- Arnold Salisbury Educational Leadership Award, 2007
- Illinois representative, China 2004 Educational Leadership Conference
- National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Resolutions Committee, 1993-96
- School Administrators of Iowa, Board of Directors, 1990-93
- Regional Selection Committee, F.I.N.E. Schools, 1993 (First in the Nation in Education Foundation)
Robert Gillium Thoughts and Opinions
Watch Robert Gillium Video

Patricia E. Neudecker
Superintendent, 2003 to present
Oconomowoc Area Schools, Oconomowoc, Wis.
Member:
- AASA, 2003 to present
- Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators, 2000 to present
- AASA Advisory Committee, 2007 to present
- AASA Governing Board, 2009 to present
Previous Position:
Assistant Superintendent/Director of Instruction, 2000-2003
Oconomowoc Area School District, Onomowoc, Wis.
Education:
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wis., 2006
M.S. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wis., 1993
B.S. University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wis., 1983
AASA and other activities:
- Suburban School Superintendents Association, member
- State Joint Convention Planning Committee member-WASDA/Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction/Wisconsin Association of School Boards
- Superintendents’ Steering Committee and Chairperson-Elect, Cooperative Educational Service Agency #1
- Honorary Membership in Phi Delta Kappa and Horace Mann League
- Wisconsin Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Advisory Committee – state superintendent’s appointee
- Oconomowoc Sister City Initiative with Dietzenbach, Germany; co-chairperson with Oconomowoc mayor
- Jiangsu International Education Forum-Suzhou China, 2009
- Local Community Service Leadership – Oconomowoc Rotary Club member and education project chairperson; Oconomowoc YMCA Board of Directors; Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital Advisory Committee; Waukesha County United Way Leadership Circle Affiliate
- Leadership for $50 million capital project including a community/school district performing arts center
- Conference presenter - WASDA/WASB State Convention; Association of Wisconsin School Administrators; Wisconsin Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development; Cooperative Educational Service Agency; North Central Association/Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement New Administrators Workshop.
Patricia E. Neudecker Thoughts and Opinions
Watch Patricia Neudecker Video
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