For over fours years, Susan Wolff has been an adamant and spirited addition to the Kankakee Chamber of Commerce. For the past three years she has spent serving on the board of directors. Originally, she joined to be more active personally in the community as well as to build more bridges between Olivet Nazarene University and other community organizations. Now, after having accomplished those goals, she has seen her role in the community and the chamber blossom. Being able to interact with the community through the chamber has given her an appreciation for Kankakee County and its community. When asked about her favorite part of being a board member for the chamber, she responded “The connections being made with the board members and Chamber organizations, and the ways to support each other within the community to shape a better Kankakee County”.
Susan currently works at Olivet Nazarene University as The Executive Director of University Relations as well as a part time Public Relations professor. With over 25 years of experience in multiple departments at Olivet, she has gained an immense amount of institutional knowledge that has well prepared her for her current position. With multiple positions to fill working at Olivet, each day can look different in terms of responsibility. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to: community relations, parent & family networking, fundraising and campaign duties, event planning, as well as teaching PR courses each semester. With a number of years in her current position, she feels that it is a good fit for both herself and the University. As this current position benefits them both so well, she states that she doesn’t see any changes in the near future.
Susan was originally raised in Troy, Michigan and now resides in Bourbonnais, Illinois. She lives with her husband George, two sons Britten and Emmet, and her dog Bootsee. As someone who graduated from Olivet Nazarene University, her involvement with the community spans a great deal of time. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, leisure reading, and hospitality. Travel became important to her because of the experiences that she looked to provide to her children. Leisure reading was emboldened for her during lockdown as her husband would finish books and ask her to read them after him. Fiction books are her favorite to read in her past time. Hospitality is enjoyable for her because of her love to put on experiences for others. This hobby started in her formative years as she was a server in highschool. Susan is someone who prides herself in leading by example. Her personal motto is “Do all things with excellence”; her work at the university alongside the Dr. Bowling and Mrs. Bowling helped her to cultivate and uphold this standard.
As a passionate, determined, and detailed individual, Susan Wolff has set the example for what doing things with excellence should look like. As a multifaceted communicator, organizer, and professor, she always looks to better her surroundings. The chamber cannot imagine doing without the immense assistance provided by her over the past four years. Susan’s persistent contributions are valued here at the Chamber, and we anticipate to see how she excels in the future.
