Issue link: https://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1544632
10 WAC Magazine | wac.net first take new wac vp / 100th birthday Longtime team member Mary Ellen Jilek joined the Club's executive team this spring when she was promoted from Director of Club Events to Vice President of Club Life & Community. In her new role, Mary Ellen oversees member engagement, programming, and family life. "Mary Ellen goes above and beyond for our members on a daily basis," Pres- ident & CEO Suzana Sakay says. "She cares deeply about their experiences at the Club and their lives overall." Whether ordering a custom WAC onesie for a newly born WAC member or leading a group tour of France, Mary Ellen does everything with intention and attention. In the past five years, she has strengthened WAC traditions and introduced popular new events. "I love the creative side of event plan- ning," Mary Ellen says. "Our member-led committees bring such great ideas to the table, and turning those ideas into real experiences is the fun part." Mary Ellen was drawn to event planning because she enjoys bringing people together. "e WAC is built on connection," she says. "Whether it's a family event, a 20s/30s gathering, or a long-standing tradition, those shared moments create the stories and rela- tionships that make this community special." In her new role, Mary Ellen also oversees WeeWACs. One of her first moves was to expand childcare offerings at aer-hours WAC events. "I'm excited to keep growing our family offerings, creating more opportunities for kids to connect socially, try something new, and learn along the way," she says. Mary Ellen grew up in the Tri-Cit- ies, attended Gonzaga University, and remains an avid Bulldogs fan. She joined the WAC team in 2008 aer attending an event at the Club. She was so impressed that she went home and looked online for WAC job openings. She took over as department director in 2022. "When someone comes to me with a wild event idea at a meeting, their excite- ment makes me want to figure out how we can make it happen," she says. Q U I N N T O O M E Y Mary Ellen Jilek steps into VP role Longtime WAC leader promoted to head of Club Life & Community Celebrating a WAC centenarian Member Nick Madonna turns 100 this July 6. He joined the WAC in 1998. At the time, he was in his early 70s. Nick and wife Barbara enjoyed socializing at the WAC and playing golf with fellow members. Aer marrying in Seattle, Nick and Barbara lived in Alaska before moving to Bellevue in 1955 to raise their family. When Barbara passed away in 2019, Nick continued to winter in Southern Califor- nia before making the move permanently last year. "Staying active, being involved, and always having a project," Nick says when asked about his secret to long life. Born in Seattle to Italian immigrants, Nick was raised in Rainier Valley, an area once home to a large Italian immigrant community. He attended Franklin High School, worked at his uncle's pasta factory, and delivered newspapers. Nick enlisted in the Navy in 1944 at age 18 and served aboard the destroyer USS Rowan in the Pacific eater of World War II. According to official gov- ernment estimates, less than 0.5 percent of U.S. WWII veterans are still alive. Following the war, Nick earned a civil engineering degree from Seattle Univer- sity and worked for the Army Corps of Engineers in Alaska. Aer returning to Washington, he started his own company. "He's really quite amazing," says daughter Marda, one of Nick and Barba- ra's two children along with her brother, Jim. Marda and Nick still go on mile-long walks together, and Nick recently took the stage at a veterans' celebration near his home. "People were just amazed to see him walk up the stairs to the stage so effortlessly," Marda says. Happy 100th birthday, Nick! C O U R T E S Y P H O T O