Dr. Montele Crawford
Rev. Dr. Montele Crawford was selected as the Executive Director of the Kankakee Land Bank after a nationwide search.
Crawford is the Senior Pastor at Morning Star Baptist Church as well as a founding member and Executive Director of the Key City Community Development Corporation.
Crawford holds a doctorate degree from United Theological Seminary. He resides in Bourbonnais with his wife and their children.
Board of Directors
Lisa Sanford, President
Lisa Sanford has enjoyed and feels blessed to have the opportunity to help people with their real estate needs with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Speckman Realty. As a top Realtor in Kankakee County, Lisa is honored to be involved with the Kankakee Regional Land Bank Authority. Lisa is married to Walter Sanford who also enjoys real estate as he manages their quality investment properties. Together Walter and Lisa have 2 adult children and one son-in-law, Abby, Meredith and Clint.
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Barbi Brewer-Watson, Secretary
Barbara Brewer-Watson is the Executive Director of the Economic and Community Development Agency for the City of Kankakee. She is a 1998 graduate of Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School, a 2011 graduate of Spoon River College with her associate’s degree, and in December of 2014, she graduated from Western Illinois University with her bachelor’s degree. In May of 2019, upon completion of a four-year program, Barbi received her certification as a Professional Community and Economic Developer from the Community Development Institute, a program created by the Southern Economic Development Council in Atlanta, Georgia. She also earned her graduate degree in organizational leadership from Olivet Nazarene University in May 2019 and went on to complete her Master of Business Administration degree in May 2021. She is the Chairperson for Drug Free Kankakee, Inc., which helps to financially support the Kankakee County Drug Court program, and the Secretary for the Kankakee Regional Land Bank Authority. In the spring of 2022, Brewer-Watson was added to the Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District Housing Task Force facilitated by Congresswoman Kelly.
Her position with the City of Kankakee allows her to work alongside many businesses and organizations in neighborhoods across the city. Her primary goal is to keep connecting people and firms to opportunities and resources that will help them thrive here in Kankakee. Kankakee is home to Barbi and her husband Michael Watson and their dog Snickers.
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Norm Gaskin
Victor Nevarez
Víctor Nevárez is a native of Chicago, Illinois. Since September, 2017 he has served the Duane Dean Behavioral Health Center as the Clinical Director overseeing the Medical Assistant Recovery Program (MAR). In May 1, 2021, Victor was elected as the 5th Ward Alderman in the City of Kankakee. Victor sits on several boards within Kankakee County including: the Kankakee County Renewed Opportunity (KCRO), Kankakee Regional Land Bank Authority (KRLBA), and Christmas Day Inc. Victor continues to be involved with the community of Kankakee and participates in a number of charitable causes.
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Joseph Nugent
Joe Nugent is co-owner of Nugent Curtis Real Estate, LLC based in Kankakee, IL. Joe is a Kankakee County native with over 25 years of experience in all facets of commercial and agricultural real estate. Nugent received a Bachelor of Science from Marquette University and is also an Accredited Land Consultant. Joe is past president and Realtor of the Year for Kankakee Iroquois Ford Association of Realtors and currently serves as a board member of Ascension St Mary, Mattea’s Joy, Kankakee Development Corporation and Kankakee Regional Landbank Authority. Joe resides in Bourbonnais with his wife Kari and their two children.
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Matthew Olszewski
Born to a couple of Southside Chicago parents, Matt’s family moved to Kankakee when he was just two years old. He is a graduate of Kankakee High School and Northwestern University with a degree in economics. After college, he found a job as an analyst for a real estate development firm in downtown Chicago. Looking to move closer to family, Matt took a job with a local economic development firm, helping local municipalities and businesses take advantage of various economic incentives available to spur growth. After a brief stint in the real estate business, Matt landed with a local community bank where he worked in lending for over 16 years and later as Market President/Business Banking Officer with a national bank with four offices in Kankakee County. Finally, he joined Peoples Bank of Kankakee County where he works to this day as Senior Vice President/Chief Lending Officer. He currently serves on the boards of the Kankakee Development Corporation, the Kankakee Regional Land Bank Authority and Mound Grove Gardens of Memory Cemetery and is a former board member of Kankakee School District #111 and the Kankakee Public Library.
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