Glen Ellyn Public Library

Amy Carlson is an actor, best known for her roles in both television and film including projects such as Blue Bloods, Third Watch and Too Big to Fail. Carlson grew up in Glen Ellyn and is a proud alumna of Glenbard West High School, where she excelled at track and field. She has been honored for her humanitarian efforts and work for gender equality. She also loves being a mom to her two children, coaching softball and continuing her activism.  

Gary Sinise is an actor and has earned numerous accolades for his work in film, television, and theatre. Sinise is best known for his roles in Apollo 13, Of Mice and Men, and Forrest Gump. He attended Glenbard West High School for a few years before eventually moving and graduating from Highland Park High School. Sinise is a supporter of veterans’ organizations and frequently performs in USO tours around the world in the Lt. Dan Band. In 2011, he formed the Gary Sinise Foundation with the goal to serve and honor military members, veterans, first responders, and their families.

Billy Williams is a former left fielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1959 to 1976, playing primarily for the Chicago Cubs. He was named the National League’s Rookie of the Year in 1961 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. In 1980, Williams and his family moved to Glen Ellyn and he began working as a coach for the Cubs, which he did for nearly two decades. Williams still lives in Glen Ellyn today.

Cleveland Holmes is a retired math teacher, who taught at Glenbard West High School. After getting out of the military and obtaining his master's degree from the University of Illinois, he was invited to teach at the Hilltop in 1967. He went on to teach for thirty years and made a tremendous impact on his students during his time there. Holmes now spends his time volunteering at the Hospice and Palliative Care Unit at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and through the “No Veteran Dies Alone” program.