ILLINOIS, October 5 - JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Following review of a record-setting number of nominations for the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame, the Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) announced today that Ernest White of Jacksonville is the 2022 honoree in the labor force category.

"The Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame honors older adults who have made invaluable contributions to their communities—some, like Mr. White, over the course of several decades," said IDoA Director Paula Basta. "An honest and hardworking man, Mr. White ran his business with care and treated others like family. The impact he made on the Jacksonville-area community will be felt for many years to come, beyond Mr. White's hometown, his retirement and his lifetime."

The Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame was established by the General Assembly in 1994 to honor older adults' accomplishments and contributions to their communities. Each year, IDoA presents Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame awards to older adults who excel in the categories of community service, education, performance and/or graphic arts, and the labor force. This year, tied scores in the community service category resulted in a total of five older adults joining the Hall of Fame, one more than the traditional four annual inductees.

Among the older adults selected to join the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame in 2022 is the late Ernest White of Jacksonville in the labor force category. White's 49-year career in the engineering and construction industries, including as the owner-operator of Alco White, Inc., hugely impacted the Jacksonville-area labor force, their skills, knowledge, and well-being in the community. Despite construction being seasonal in nature, White maintained full-time, year-round employees, whom he led and managed with integrity and a commitment to continuing education. Many former Alco White, Inc. employees kept in contact with White until his passing on Monday, October 3 and join with his family to share memories and gratitude for White's contributions to the Jacksonville-area labor force over a span of five decades.

Extending his impact in the community, White also personally donated countless hours of manual labor, materials and knowledge to projects for the Jacksonville Jaycees, the Chamber of Commerce, the Springfield Area Home Builders Association, the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club, and Habitat for Humanities organizations within his operating area. His charitable contributions were a deciding factor in White's selection for the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame.