Jim Taylor Honored with Penny Severns Integrity Award
Jim Taylor
Longtime union member and Democratic supporter, Jim Taylor, is the 2025 Penny Severns Integrity Award honoree. He was presented with the award, sponsored by the Democratic Women of Macon County, at the Penny Severns Memorial Reception on Wednesday, October 1st at Richland Community College Shilling Center, in Decatur. The Severns Integrity Award is named in honor of the late State Senator Penny Severns. It is presented to democrats at either the local or state level who embody the dedication, honesty, and integrity demonstrated by Severns in her career. Jim Taylor is a retired member of United Auto Workers Local 751. He worked at Caterpillar and was an active and engaged union member serving on the civil rights committee for many years. He is known for speaking his mind, sharing experiences, and having a strong union heart.
Taylor was recognized for his lifetime of service including his commitment to the Workers Memorial monument to remember workers who have died on the job; his many community projects – including the naming of Preston Jackson Park, Martin Luther King Jr Drive and the Sheriff Roger E. Walker Memorial Road; recruitment of candidates to run for office; earning the title of Decatur’s Citizen of the Year in 2023; 24 years of service (as a retiree) serving on Secretary of State Jesse White’s merit commission; and 58 years as an elected Precinct Committeeperson for the Macon County Democratic Central Committee.
The annual Penny Severns Memorial Reception featured keynote speaker Linda Hawker, who was a long-time friend and campaign manager for Severns. Other honored speakers were Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-8), State Senator Doris Turner, State Representative Sue Scherer, and Decatur City Councilwoman, Consuelo Cruz. Video greetings were sent by Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. Special guests included Penny Severns’ brother, Rod Severns, and his wife Jane. More than 170 people attended.
The reception, in its 15th year, also included a tribute to longtime Democratic supporter, Howard Buoy, who co-founded the reception to honor his friend, Penny, in 2011. Howard died in December 2024 at the age of 98 years old. He was awarded the Legacy Award posthumously for his lifetime of generosity and commitment promoting the values of the Democratic party.
Donations were collected for Breast Cancer awareness and will be presented at the end of the month to the Cancer Care center in Decatur in Penny Severns name.
