Carolyn Adams, 44, head of the Illinois Lottery dies
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The head of the Illinois Lottery, Carolyn Adams, died Monday after a
long and private battle with breast cancer.
In her nearly four-year tenure, Ms. Adams, 44, helped implement a
special lottery game, "Ticket for the Cure," to generate money for
breast cancer research. She was especially proud of the game, which
has generated more than $3 million for research, a lottery spokesman
said.
"Her fight with the disease is one that, unfortunately, is shared by
many women throughout Illinois and the nation -- particularly African-
American women," state Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) said in
a statement. "Carolyn Adams was a dedicated public servant and she
will be greatly missed."
Many state officials lauded Ms. Adams' performance. She was credited
with decreasing operating expenses and helping to increase annual
sales to almost $2 billion.
Gov. Blagojevich, who appointed Ms. Adams to the post in May 2003,
said she faced her illness with "courage and determination." Ms. Adams
was the second African American to hold the lottery superintendent
post.
"Carolyn Adams was a rising star," Blagojevich said in a statement.
"She won the love and respect of everyone she knew with her energy and
creativity -- not just in the professional world, but in every part of
her life."
Ms. Adams was also a member of the Chicago Urban League and the
Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. She served as a board member of the Open Book
Federation and was active in Chicago's "Principal for a Day" program.
Before working for the lottery, Ms. Adams was a senior account manager
for Clear Channel Communications. Ms. Adams also worked for WGN and
WVON radio.
Ms. Adams, a native of the Roseland community, earned her bachelor's
degree in communication from Columbia College.
In 2006, Ms. Adams received the Phenomenal Woman award from the Expo
for Today's Black Woman.
She is survived by her 10-year-old son, Tre; her mother, Harriett
VanPelt; her sisters, April Lewis-Carter and Tanya Tomlin; and her
brother, Darryl Lewis.
Services are pending.
BY WHITNEY WOODWARD Sun-Times Springfield Bureau