In Memoriam: Karen Utterback
It is with deep sadness that the Government Finance Officers Association announces the unexpected death of our friend and colleague, Karen Utterback, who had been with the GFOA since 1985. Karen died on August 18, 2009, at age 57. She was editor of the GFOA Newsletter and associate editor for the Government Finance Review, and her many other contributions included managing the GFOA Awards for Excellence in Government Finance program. "Karen was a valued member of the GFOA staff for nearly a quarter century," said GFOA Executive Director Jeffrey Esser. "She will be deeply missed."
 A Chicago resident, Karen began sailing in the mid-80s and often sailed on Lake Michigan. One of her passions was racing sailboats. She raced competitively in locations around the world and took part in the Chicago to Mackinac Island Race many times. She also ran marathons, and her ambition was to run in one on each continent. She'd completed marathons in Antarctica, Asia, and Africa, as well as many in North America. She was also known for her fascinating vacations – she had been to Mongolia this summer and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania last year.
Karen shared her talent and boundless energy with many local organizations. She was president of the Chicago chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and was the group's director of finance from 2005-2008. Karen was also a board member of the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation, a partnership with the Chicago Park District that offers sailing instruction to people with physical disabilities and with inner-city children. In addition, she volunteered with the Taproot Foundation, which works with corporations, universities, and trade associations to encourage pro bono work and increase the resources available to the non-profit sector, and with Chicago 2016, a non-profit group that helps support Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics. Karen had an MBA in marketing and finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and had earned the designation of Accredited Business Communicator from the IABC. She had a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s degree in sociology, both from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Before joining the GFOA, Karen was an assignment editor at ABC News and an assignment editor/producer at WXIA-TV, Atlanta, Georgia. |
