The Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation board of directors recently appointed Karen Etter and Steven Wendling to three year terms on the Effingham County Community Foundation Advisory Board. Steven Wendling is President of Direct Lines, Inc, a company located in Effingham serving the logistics needs of businessesnationwide. Wendling is a 1992 graduate of the University of Missouri. Wendling began working for Direct Lines in 1992and became president in 1998. He has been active as a youth coach and mentor in numerous youth programs, served on the board of the Effingham YMCA, is an active member of Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), American Trucking Association and past state officer of the Illinois Star Route Mail Carrier Association. He is a past member and officer of the National Wild Turkey Federation, Illinois and Missouri chapters, and a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Effingham. He and his wife, Jill, have two children.
Karen Etter is Broker/Owner of Re/Max Key Advantage Realtors in Effingham, which was created as a result of a merger between Re/Max Crossroads Realty and Professional Advantage, Inc. Realtors. Etter was the founding partner of Professional Advantage Realtors in1992. Licensed since 1986, she has been involved in many aspects of the real estate business including property development, subdivision and new construction development, as well as residential sales and marketing. Karen holds the CRS, GRI, E-Pro and SRS designations. Her community involvement includes serving as a board member and marketing chair of the United Way of Effingham County, board member of the Effingham Performance Center and educational committee chair of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce Vision 2020 project. Karen also has spent time teaching English as a second language, Effingham CEO Class mentor, and marketing the 180 outreach program for New Hope Church. Karen and her husband, Mike, are lifelong residents of Effingham and have three children.
According to Melissa Willenborg, chair of the local community foundation advisory board, “We are pleased to have Steve and Karen join the Effingham County Community Foundation Advisory Board. The knowledge they have about the needs of Effingham and the surrounding area will be a great asset to our organization.”
