The Life and Career of Jerry D. Blakemore, Deputy Governor and Legal Counsel.

Blakemore credits his parent's focus on education for his numerous achievements, including the acquisition of this new position with Northern Illinois University. Blakemore, who grew up in East Chicago Heights, was a first generation college student. His mother worked as an operator for Illinois Bell and his father worked in Youngstown Sheet and Tube Steel Mill for more than thirty years. His parent's stressed the importance of public service and taught by example. His mother was a leader on Blakemore's school PTA and his father served on the village board, as well as working as a volunteer police officer and firefighter. Blakemore notes that as a child, he looked up to people in public service, including Thurgood Marshall and John Kennedy. ''It seemed to me that people who made a difference were people with a background in the law, using law to do good things for citizens,'' said Blakemore.

Blakemore earned his bachelor's degree in political science in 1976 from Princeton University. He went on to study law at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. As the deputy governor and legal counsel to former Illinois Governor James R. Thompson, Blakemore became the youngest person, at the age of 30, and the first African American to hold that title. Blakemore served as a member of the Illinois Board of Higher Education for 12 years and was appointed to chair the board in 1992. Blakemore's experience also includes heading the Regulatory and Governmental Affairs Practice group and managing the Chicago office of Sales, Goodloe, Golden, & Blakemore law firm, where he also served as a managing partner. Blakemore was also an assistant secretary within the US Department of Labor for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. Blakemore held the position of general counsel to a manufacturing company in St. Louis and worked with the Chicago-based law firm, Carney & Brothers.

Immediately before taking on the position of vice president and general counsel with Southern Illinois University, Blakemore served as CEO and general counsel to the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. He is a current member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and participates in regulatory work with the Illinois Commerce Commission. In the past, Blakemore served as chair of the Midwest Higher Education Compact and still serves as a member.