> ERA Mourns Staff Member Kathy Green

With profound sadness, ERA must announce the April 2 passing of Katherine (Kathy) Green, a 32-year member of the ERA staff family. She had just marked her 60th birthday.

Kathy’s decade-long, valiant battle with cancer was mostly unknown outside of her immediate family and circle of close friends. This was her preference, and she was still handling her ERA responsibilities as usual up until early March. Those responsibilities were many.

Her countless credits and accomplishments on behalf of ERA have reflected both her technological and artistic talents, including: the design, development, maintenance and updating of ERA’s website ever since its inception in 1995; the design, development and maintenance of websites for numerous ERA chapters and member firms; the development and maintenance of all ERA databases; the creation of all ERA conference logos, program brochures and other materials; and in recent years, the graphic designs of all covers of The Representor magazine. In addition to her work for ERA, Kathy was a mosaic artist, a musician (who played for years in a Chicago Irish band) and an entrepreneur who designed, manufactured and sold pet collars.

Most ERA members knew Kathy from her staff work at national conferences and at the ERA booth at EDS. However, most do not know that Kathy was the proud daughter of the late Raymond J. Hall, the association’s longest-serving CEO. Kathy has described how she “grew up” in ERA and has said she considered ERA members and staff her “second family.” Her most recent comments to that effect came during her acceptance of ERA’s 2022 Tess Hill Award. COVID-19 concerns kept Kathy from attending the Conference, so the presentation was made in advance by Karin Derkacz, the 2021 award recipient, and Tess Hill. A pre-recorded video of Kathy happily accepting the award was shown at the Conference.

Kathy was also inducted into the ERA White Pin group in 2016.

Kathy was preceded in death by her father and her brother, Raymond J. Hall, Jr. Her survivors include her husband Jeff, mother Anita (Annie) Roti, sister Tracey (Joel) Stewart, seven nieces and two nephews.

A celebration of Kathy’s life will be held in late May/early June. Memorial donations will be appreciated to the American Cancer Society. Messages of condolences can be addressed to: Jeff Green, 7120 N. Ashland Blvd., Chicago, IL 60626.