As Alderman Mike Puhr spoke at the City Council meeting on Tuesday night, Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr. sat wiping away tears — and he wasn’t the only one in the room.
“She was an innovator, a go-getter, a person with vision,” said Puhr about the late Vicki Haugen.
The council voted Tuesday to name a portion of a roadway in honor of Haugen — the first two blocks of North Walnut Street from Main to Harrison, which runs alongside the municipal building on the corner of Main and Walnut.
Haugen served the City of Danville for more than 38 years in various capacities. Aside from being the Founder and CEO of Vermilion Advantage, Haugen was one of the driving forces behind bringing to Vermilion County both the Golden Nugget Casino on Lynch Road, as well as Carle At The Riverfront, the west-end hospital which opened last year, among other achievements in her lifetime.
“One of the last times that I was able to actually sit on a committee with her was when we were talking about the casino and things like that,” said Puhr. “Even though she had a chemo pump on and was undergoing treatments for cancer, she was still there at those meetings. And she didn’t give up. She didn’t give up the fight.”
Upon news of her passing in 2020 after a long battle with cancer, the Illinois Senate issued an official resolution honoring Haugen.
“[Haugen was] responsible for the implementation and oversight of economic development activities, business services, and workforce development for Vermilion County,” reads Illinois Senate Resolution SR1073. “As a direct result of her work, thousands of local jobs were created and retained, ensuring Vermilion County’s viability.”
Haugen received many awards and acknowledgements for the work she did for Vermilion County, including Business & Professional Women’s Club Woman of the Year Award, the United Way of Danville Area Women United Leadership Award, and being named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
“Vicki Haugen was deeply committed to giving back to the community she loved; she will forever be remembered for her mentorship, positive can-do determination, compassion, sound judgment, and indomitable spirit,” reads the Illinois Senate Resolution.
Though some on the council Tuesday night questioned the criteria with which to decide who receives such an honor, others were determined to push the resolution through, including Mayor Williams.
“It would be an honorary title of the first two blocks where Mrs. Haugen did the majority of her work that brought us billions of dollars in actual development, as well as more than a thousand jobs — probably several thousand jobs — that we wouldn’t have in this community if it weren’t for her,” said Williams.
“I think the criteria is what they do for the community, pure and simple — what she did for us,” said Alderwoman Sharon Pickering.
The vote was unanimous in the end.
“I think it’s not only appropriate, but it’s an honor for us to be able to do this in her memory and name,” said Puhr.