LLC Honors Dr. William Podesta w/Clem G. Phipps Exemplary Trustee Award

(LEFT TO RIGHT: LAKE LAND BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIRMAN GARY CADWELL, WILLIE PODESTA YOUNG, AND ERIC AND LAURA LUND)

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees posthumously honored Dr. William Podestá the Clem G. Phipps Exemplary Trustee Award at this week's board meeting.

Podestá’s daughter, Willie Podestá Young of Omaha, Neb., accepted the award on behalf of her father. Podestá’s grandson, Eric Lund and his wife Lora joined her. 

The award was named after Clem G. Phipps, first chair of the Lake Land College Board of Trustees, to recognize former trustees who have demonstrated leadership and dedication to Lake Land College and the community.

Lake Land Trustee Mike Sullivan nominated Podestá for the award. Podestá served as a Lake Land Trustee from 1970-1976 and 1978-1981. He served as vice chairman, secretary and chairman of the Salary Evaluation Committee. He served as a director of the Lake Land College Foundation from 1982-1997.

Podestá viewed education as a top priority. He was a 12-year member of the Mattoon Community Unit #2 School Board, serving three terms as president. He was one of the original supporters of the junior college concept and he actively promoted the establishment of Lake Land College. The college was developed on land previously owned by the Podestá family.

Podestá established the dental hygiene and dental assisting program at Lake Land College. He was the founder of the annual scholarship awarded students in these programs and the Eastern Illinois Dental Society.

Lake Land honored Podestá in 1988 with the Lake Land College Distinguished Service Award. A decade later, the college named the road encircling the campus Dr. Podestá Drive.

Podestá was founder of the Mattoon Dental Group and he was the chairman for fluoridation of the Mattoon water supply. He was honored in 1983 with the Association of Commerce Mattoon Civic Award. He was a member of the Rotary and was honored in 1980 with the International Goodwill Award. Podestá served as a member of the Eastern Illinois University Foundation. In 1986, Podestá and his wife became the first husband and wife recipients of the EIU Distinguished Alumni Award.

Podestá was highly honored for his legacy as a dentist. He was honored in 1982 with the American Dental Association’s Presidential Citation Award. In 1985, he was awarded the Illinois State Dental Society Distinguished Member Award, the highest award given to dentists by their colleagues. Throughout his career he received numerous professional dentistry awards including: The Distinguished Service Award from the Pierre Fauchard Academy, T.V. Weclew Award of Excellence and Distinction, Congressional Record for Service to Dentistry, Louisiana State University C. Edmond Kells Society and Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honorary Dental Society, and Outstanding Service in Dentistry.

Podestá was a fellow of the International College of Dentists, American College of Dentists, Midwest Academy of Prosthodontist, and honorary member of the Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honorary Society.