Christine Holevas
*Charter member
Induction Year: 2015
Category: Career Achievement in Support
Bio: The KFM Cancer Classic came to Chicago in '03 and with the move, the event gained a significant amount of golfers and yet were also limited to an 18 hole course. Kevin Monahan’s sister Margaret volunteered to get her friends to do the volunteer work and run registration. Christine, an executive at a major bank, also ran her own 'real' golf tournament for many years in memory of various family members who had passed from Cancer. She was direct, efficient, and easy to work with and her natural leadership skills took over.
Christine made an immediate and enormous impact on the classic. In the 11 years the tournament was held in Chicago, Christine never missed one and never played in the tournament. She spearheaded ALL of the volunteers and often went the extra mile in preparing for worst case scenarios, making the registration process completely fluid and attendee friendly, and organized at an elite level. In addition, Christine was also a consistent Gold Club donor to the event.
In the board of director’s opinion, Christine Holevas is the single reason why the Classic grew in its very pivotal and formative Chicago years and is the easiest selection to the Hall of Fame for the KFM Cancer Classic.
Personal: Christine lives in Chicago, is a lifelong Blackhawks fan, and adores her family and the pack of black dogs. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the TUFT Foundation, which provides grant money to individuals fighting cancer. Fun Fact: Christine has spent significant time on 6 continents – Antarctica, get ready.
Christine’s thoughts on her Hall of Fame Induction:
“As a member of a cancer family, I’m grateful for and humbled by the work that Kevin Monahan and the Board of the KFM Cancer Classic (KFMCC) continue to pursue. Not being alone; having a community for support, is so important to overcoming the many obstacles in fighting cancer. Everyone who participates at KFMCC becomes part of that community and support. It has been a privilege to work with Kevin and the entire KFMCC team to help put on a great event, have fun and ultimately help people with their fight against cancer. I’m very overwhelmed to be the first inductee into the Hall of Fame.”
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Andy Gilbert
*Charter member
Induction Year: 2015
Category: Career Achievement in Tournament Play
Bio: No player has dominated this tournament like Andy Gilbert. In 9 appearances, Andy has brought home 3 overall Championships and 3 Purple Rider Awards. This is an impressive mark especially considering these awards spanned the Chicago era that included 2 completely different courses. Worthy opponents worry when they see him. At no time was this more obvious than in '14 when Andy was a late scratch. There was a buzz from many players who had never met Andy who were overheard saying 'Gilbert's not here! The door is wide open!'.
Personal: Andy is an Arcola native that now resides in Chicago. Andy has 1 daughter who turned 7 the same month Andy is to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Andy was a basketball standout in high school and one of the elite golfers in the area winning multiple titles at the Kaskaskia Country Club’s annual tournament. He went on to golf at Knox College and currently works as a diabetes care sales representative for Novo Nordisk Inc.
Andy’s thoughts on his Hall of Fame Induction:
“I'll have to say it's quite an honor to be inducted to the KFM Cancer Classic Hall of Fame. First of all, I would like to thank Kevin Monahan for the tremendous effort he has put in over the last 14 years to make this annual event such a success for a great cause. Also, I would like to thank the board of directors for their consideration in becoming part of this elite group of athletes and friends of the game. Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow competitors for their display of sportsmanship during competitive times and preserving the integrity of the game. I look forward to participating in this event for years to come and competing to take home the coveted plaid jacket.'