Inspiration Corporation would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our outgoing Auxiliary Board founding President, Blake Overlock. Over the last three years Blake has made enormous and lasting contributions to our work and mission.

Blake and Amanda Overlock at One Inspired Evening 2018 ©Steven E Gross

We were first introduced to Blake at a Young Professionals of Chicago networking event in December of 2016. The group had chosen to support Inspiration Corporation for their holiday fundraising drive. After hearing about our work, one of the members, Blake, a Business Performance Advisor for Insperity HR Services, approached us to find out how he could make a bigger contribution to our cause.

At the time, we were exploring the idea of starting an Auxiliary Board to give young professionals the opportunity to increase their support of our mission, and Blake jumped at the chance to spearhead the effort.

Not only did Blake lead the process of structuring the board, including helping to establish bylaws, goals and requirements, and practices, he worked within his network to recruit the first cohort of members.

Under Blake’s leadership as founding President, Inspiration Corporation’s Auxiliary Board has contributed more than $100,000 of support to the organization in their first years. Their members have sacrificed nights and weekends to host events, volunteer, work their networks, and bring in supporters to share our mission with a new generation.

Blake will be stepping down as President of the Auxiliary Board at the end of this year through a planned transition. He will be succeeded by Vice President, Charlie Apfelbach.

We could not be more thankful for Blake’s dedication, passion, enthusiasm, and leadership over the last three years. His legacy at Inspiration Corporation will live on through the ongoing efforts of the Auxiliary Board that he helped found, and we look forward to his continued involvement at the leadership level in the coming years.

Thank you, Blake!