Kevin Bushur is the Chief Executive Officer of C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation, a Community Action Agency. In 2017 C.E.F.S. delivered an array of social services to almost 20,000 individuals by providing opportunities through education and support to achieve and maintain self-sufficiency. C.E.F.S. has over 240 employees and in 2017 had 17.5 million dollars of revenues from grants and donations.
At a young age, Kevin battled adversity with cancer and knew as a young man that he wanted to give back and devote his life to helping others in need. Kevin has spent his entire professional career helping others and promoting active change for those within his community. Kevin worked in mental health serving chronically mental ill patients for over 14 years before his employment with C.E.F.S. He began employment at C.E.F.S. as WIA Director in 2007. Under his leadership, the C.E.F.S WIA Program expanded from serving 372 customers with 1.6 million dollars in 2007 to serving 3,206 customers with 8.3 million dollars in 2010. He was promoted to Chief Operations Officer/WIA Director at C.E.F.S. in 2011 and kept this title until 2017 when he was promoted to Chief Executive Officer. Up until just this past year, Kevin also continued working with a mental health social service agency providing crisis services on nights and weekends to children and young adults who were considered at-risk for suicide.
Kevin is very active in the WIOA Program in LWIA 23. He was co-facilitator for the development of Economic Development Region 7 Plan. He is a current Board member of the LWIA 23 Board and Chairperson of the Consortium Committee. He also serves on the Planning and Oversight Committee as well as the Marketing Committee.
Kevin is active within his community as he continues to try to promote positive change and share his knowledge on area resources. Kevin is the Chairperson of the South-Central Illinois Continuum of Care Board of Directors. The South-Central Illinois Continuum of Care is a network of agencies, people, businesses, churches, etc., coming together to address homelessness in an 18-county region. Kevin is also a board member for Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies and a board member for Illinois Ventures for Community Action.
Kevin and his wife, Sheri, are licensed foster parents. Over the last ten years they have fostered over ten children and have adopted three of those children. Kevin and Sheri have five children and are very active in their lives and activities.
Kevin’s motto is to “Be Positive, Be Awesome, Help Others and Get Stuff Done.”