Village President and Village Trustees

Champaign County native, John Brown, was raised in Rantoul. He attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and received a degree in Administration of Justice. John retired as a Police Lieutenant with the University of Illinois, having served 30 years. On September 1, 2020, John began working as the Deputy Chief of Police at the Village of Tolono. John is also the Public Administrator and Guardian for Champaign County. John served as a Village Trustee from 2005 until he was elected Village President in 2021. John is married to his wife Margaret. The Browns have lived in Savoy since 2002.

A longtime resident of Champaign-Urbana Savoy, Larry graduated from the University of Illinois in 1979. Immediately afterwards, he opened his own photography gallery, which he has maintained since then. With a career spanning over thirty years, Larry's works are shown in galleries, museums, and private collections across the United States. His portfolios also contain major collections of other American landscapes and cityscapes, along with collections featuring Southern Europe, China, and India. To date, Larry has published six critically acclaimed books and award-winning calendars for the past thirteen years. Larry is married to his wife Alaina, has two children, and pets.

Heather Mangian is a long-time resident of Savoy and currently serves as the Homeowners Association President for the Arbours subdivision. Heather is very active in her community and has a keen interest in stormwater management; parks and recreation; and neighborhood development. Trustee Mangian is a PhD in Nutrition and is semi-retired with the University of Illinois; working on a variety of research projects and grants.

Term Expires 2025

Email: heather.mangian@savoy.illinois.gov

Jan Carter Niccum, a native of Effingham, has lived in Champaign County since 1986 when he started teaching civics classes and coaching at Rantoul Township High School. In 1996, he moved to Savoy. Jan worked in the motor coach industry for 27 years. Jan is retired from teaching social studies and driver’s education at Unit 4. He currently serves as the president of the Champaign County Retired Teachers Association. Jan attended the University of Illinois and Eastern Illinois University for his undergraduate degree in marketing and communications and holds a degree in junior high school education and a master’s degree in educational administration through EIU.

Term Expires 2025

Dennis Donaldson was appointed and confirmed as a Village Trustee on April 3, 2024. Trustee Donaldson is the first Black American to serve as a Village Trustee in the Village's history. However, this is not the first time Mr. Donaldson has made Village history. Trustee Donaldson was also the first Black American to serve in multiple positions as a member of Village staff, most recently as Village Treasurer. In all, Trustee Donaldson served the Village for 10 years prior to his appointment. Trustee Donaldson is very active in the community and is committed to seeing Savoy continue to grow. Trustee Donaldson current works for the University of Illinois.

Term Expires 2025

Email: dennis.donaldson@savoy.illinois.gov

Dee Shonkwiler is a native of Arcola. He has lived in since 2003. He works for the University of Illinois, College of Law Library, having been there since September 10, 2001. Previously, he worked for the Education and Social Science Library, from 1989 – 2001 and the University of Illinois Foundation, from 1987 – 1989. Dee graduated from Arcola High School, in 1972 and received a degree from Parkland College in 1974. Dee served in various community leader capacities for over 40 years. Additionally, Dee enjoys being the scorekeeper for the Arcola and Clinton High School Boys Basketball teams; something he has done for over 45 years. Dee is married to his wife Jean; has two daughters; grandchildren and a wonderful pup, Isabelle.

Term Expires 2025

William “Bill” Vavrik moved to Champaign County in 1993 to attend the University of Illinois. After graduating with a Bachelors, Masters, and PhD in Civil Engineering, he moved to Savoy in 2005. Bill is married to his wife Liz, and they have four kids. The Vavriks enjoy volunteering with church, school, and community organizations. Bill works as a Vice President and Principal Engineer for Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA), specializing in transportation infrastructure. Bill is a registered Professional Engineer in Illinois. Prior to serving as a Village Trustee, Bill served on the Village’s Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Commission.

Term Expires 2025

Email: bill.vavrik@savoy.illinois.gov