SERVICE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Communications Director and Sexton
Casey Kremer has been known to wear many hats. She has been Sexton at St. Gregory's for over ten years and is also the Communications Director.
Casey was born in New York, grew up in Los Angeles, and graduated from high school in Tarrytown, New York ... so it made perfect sense to get a BA in Fine Arts at Knox College and an MS in Accounting at DePaul University, both schools in the great state of Illinois. Casey has competed at the national level in four different sports: sailing, racquetball, golf, and curling. Yes, curling, that strange Olympic sport that you only see every four years.
Casey used her accounting degree to work in the commodities market while getting her foot in the door in Chicago's advertising world. When Apple computer arrived on the scene, Casey started her own design firm, serving many clients including Ryerson Steel and the National Restaurant Association.
When she realized that she was spending days staring at a computer screen yet not talking to anyone, Casey got a side job as an usher at Wrigley Field. She still loves the Cubbies!
How did Casey find herself at St. Gregory's in Deerfield? The golf course, where she has been Ladies' Club Champion several times, is just down the street. Chicago Curling Club is close, as well. She now has the best of both worlds ... a computer screen upstairs and a virtual community downstairs. Looking forward to StG's again being filled with our congregation.
Cissy has been a member of St. Gregory's since August of 2003. It was the spirit of the St. Gregory's community as a whole that kept her coming back after her first visit. She has been involved in many areas at St. G's over the years. She currently serves on Altar Guild, is a Pastoral Care Visitor, facilitates Book Club, and always enjoys working at the Pumpkin Patch. Cissy was co-chair of the Troop Care Package Ministry from April 2005 until the 40 th troop care package event in November 2012. She has served on the Funeral Reception Committee, the Parish Nominating Committee, taught High School Sunday School for several years and has made many Prayer Blankets for St. Gregory's parishioners. She and her husband Jeff live in Highland Park. Cissy welcomes the opportunity to serve on the Vestry.
Dan has served at St Gregory's in multiple capacities since 2013. His service to the church started at an early age as an acolyte and thurifer at St Hilary's. With this experience he found it to be a natural progression to eucharistic minister after joining St Gregory's. From there, Dan's participation as a member of the vestry gave him a new perspective in his spiritual life and experience working in church operations. After serving on the vestry, Dan quickly teamed with Scott Schaper to help implement Mother Anne's vision of a verger ministry to help assist and direct individuals participating in the church services. Dan has spent time as a member on the finance committee, the liturgy planning committee, and enjoys his past time as a thurifer at the Christmas Eve service. Dan is thankful to be the warden and looks forward to continue serving St Gregory's.
Job Titles:
- Member of St. Gregory 's Episcopal Church since Moving to Buffalo Grove
Fran has been a member of St. Gregory's Episcopal Church since moving to Buffalo Grove in 2002. She has served one term on the Vestry and has been on Altar Guild continuously since 2002. She was active in the small groups Better than Evers and the Grovers for many years. Along with her duties on Altar Guild, she is an active member of the Thursday Bible study fellowship and is a Circle of Care leader.
I am in the Golf Business, working as an independent sales rep for 40 plus years.Hoping to retire sooner than later!My wife Cyndi and I have been at St Gregory's since 1986.I attended the Baptist church in my childhood and was received into the Episcopal Church shortly after we became members. We raised our three children, Craig, David and Lynn in Deerfield and our family enjoyed volunteering and participating in many of St. Gregory's programs and activities including Vestry, Youth Group, Sunday School and Boy Scout Troop 50.
I love golf, curling, watching sports, walking in nature and grilling out!
Jon Dutcher: My wife, Susie and I have been members of St. Gregory's since 1984. We consider the St. Gregory's congregation as our family.
I have served on the Vestry and as Warden several times, including when we called Bill Roberts and again when we called Anne Jolly.
Susie and I moved to Evanston in 2004, but have continued to make St. Gregory's our parish home. We currently are serving as Education for Ministry (EFM) mentors.
Keanon Kyles, praised by CNN for his "incredible bass-baritone voice" and by Scottish Magazine, Opera Scotland for his "beautiful technique". Kyles was raised in Chicago where his musical journey started and where he received his bachelor's degree in music from Chicago's Columbia College. Keanon made his opera debut as Colline in Puccini's "La Boheme". Conducted by Metropolitan Opera's Maestro David Jackson, he made his Italy debut in Trento, Italy as Betto in Gianni Schicchi and Peter in Hansel and Gretel. Keanon was featured as Billy Evans in the world premiere of Floating Opera Company's production of "War and Peace". Kyles made his Chicago Opera Theater debut as Daggoo in "Moby Dick", shortly after he was asked to return perform the role of Tommie in the opera, "Freedom Ride" with Chicago Opera Theater. He has ranked one of the top 5 singers in the National Association of Negro Musicians competition. He made his Lyric Opera debut by way of Lyric Unlimited's production of "Earth to Kenzie" and soon after made his Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut as a featured soloist in their "Purpose Over Pain" concert. Keanon was invited to Carnegie Hall to make his solo debut where he sung a plethora of genres on Perelman Stage. Kyles's versatile voice has gained him notoriety and has allowed him to share the stage with some of music's greatest artist- Samuel Ramey, Andrea Bocelli, Kathleen Battle, Celine Dion and more. Aside from his growing Opera career, he has performed concerts across the globe at popular venues such as Allstate Arena, United Center, Chicago Theater and internationally at the Edinburgh Festival and Japan World Music Festival. He made his South America debut doing the title role in Benjamin Britten's Opera "Noye's Fludde" under the baton of Maestro Guerrasim Voronkov in Bogotá, Colombia. After making his U.K. debut as Colline, Keanon returned to Scotland in the role of Rigoletto in Clyde Opera Group's production. His career has been highlighted by CNN, Good Morning America and the headline of The Chicago Sun-Times. In addition to his performance career, Keanon teaches voice performance in jazz, gospel and musical theatre out of his studio in downtown Chicago, as well as, at Lyriq Music School in Northcenter. Kyles is a 2 time award recipient of the Reva and David Logan Foundation award and Resident Music Artist of the private club -The Cliff Dwellers Okay, okay enough of the "text bookie" talk lol outside of singing I'm deeply rooted in fashion and interior design. For years I would co-host fashion shows in downtown Chicago for Columbia College's Fashion Department all while being an Assistant Manager/Visual Merchandiser for department store, Tuesday Morning. So, if you went into their Lakeview, Lincoln Park or Niles store and said, "Oh my what wonderful displays-it was I! *Shameless plug* so feel free to call on me when you get into your spring cleaning! Life is full of surprises, good and bad, I live each day accepting everyone as they are, sharing God's love, sharing the gift God gave me, speaking life into people trials and tribulations and making sure I smile through it all. Smile-because a smile heals and nourishes the soul with positivity!
Rafael grew up as a Catholic in São Paulo, Brazil where he lived until finishing high school. He joined the Anglican church in 2018 with his wife Melissa when they lived in London. Finally making it to Highland Park in 2021 same year both joined St. Gregory's along with their daughter Gabriela. He has bachelor's degree in business administration and spent the early part of his career in finance as a consultant with EY and he is currently working at Walgreens in the Merchandising Finance team.
In his free time Rafael loves playing tennis, biking, hiking, and swimming. He's also a big sports fan; his teams are Corinthians and Arsenal for football, Bulls, and the Steelers.
Rafael is excited to be part of the vestry and looks forward to supporting the St. G community.
The Rev. Dan Puchalla is a native of Lombard but has also lived in Florida, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania. But nothing feels like home as much as Chicago, where he has been canonically resident since his ordination in 2011. He served for many years as Associate Rector at St. Paul & the Redeemer in Hyde Park. More recently, he has served as interim rector at Annunciation in Gurnee and at Atonement in Edgewater, an appointment just completed in July. Dan currently lives in Lakeview with his husband, Raff, who is a professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law. They are avid fans of Lyric Opera, the Art Institute, Chicago's avant garde theater scene, and the National Parks
Sarah and her family started coming to St. Gregory's in 2019, after moving to Deerfield a few years earlier. She works at the Walgreens corporate campus and sidelines with her husband as a chauffeur/cook to her 2 busy kids. When not spending time at a desk or in her vehicle, Sarah takes care of her backyard honeybees, traveling, hiking and sewing. During the warmer months, she can be found wandering around the St. G's labyrinth or at the pumpkin patch and is excited to be a part of the vestry.
Steve is a native of Rockford and currently lives in Cary with his life partner Nancy Buller. They enjoy a fairly simple lifestyle as they both approach retirement. Taking care of three cats and spending time with family and friends fills in much of their free time.
Steve's education includes a BS in Finance (accounting minor) from Northern Illinois University. He also carries an MBA from NIU. Steve spent most of his career at Grainger working mainly in the Finance Department in support of various business operating departments. Today, he is the Controller at Capable Controls in Elmhurst.
Steve's spiritual life has included memberships at several Illinois based United Methodist churches. Volunteer leadership roles have included Budget & Finance Committee at Faith UMC in Elgin and Operations Commission, Budget and Finance Committee, and treasurer at United Protestant Church in Grayslake where his is an honorary deacon. He became a member at St. Gregory in 2018 and has served on the Finance Committee.
A cradle Episcopalian, joined St Gregory's in 2012. As a member of St Gregory's, Val is a self proclaimed "data nerd" using her unbelievable spreadsheet skills to order altar flowers, exercise aficionado (especially loving TRX, Body Pump, and Deep Water Running), and can also be found Sunday serving as a liturgical minister or sitting with her family. She looks forward to this new experience representing St Gregory's with a smile.