PEORIA MAGAZINE December 2022

T he passion Lisa Gates has for Peoria is palpable. Now the vice president of marketingandcommunications at RLI Insurance, Gates is exuberant in talking about her childhood growing up in Peoria. She speaks enthusiastically, as well, about what the city has to offer to residents today. Those positive experiences going back to her early years have translated into an adult life of service to the community, which is what justifies her selection as one of Peoria Magazine’s Women of Influence for 2022. HAPPY DAYS Born Lisa Frank, daughter of Tom and Connie Frank, Gates recalls “a very happy upbringing,” shared with one sibling, her sister Sara. “My dad had early onset Parkinson’s. My mom was very resourceful,” said Gates. “She would take advantage of what Peoria had to offer for us, like nature hikes at Forest Park, Peoria Park District programs and classes, Glen Oak Park concerts in the band shell. We really took advantage of what Peoria had to offer.” After graduating from Peoria Notre Dame High School, Gates received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and her master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. A WINDY CITY START Her career began in Chicago at Starcom, a division of Leo Burnett Chicago, working for such clients as Proctor & Gamble and Miller Brewing. From there she moved to the Tribune Company, in the interactive division. “After that it was time to make a change,” Gates said. “I’d learned a lot, grown a lot in that role and it was time to move on.” By that time, she had married Bob Gates, a graduate of Miami University of Ohio. They had been introduced by Lisa’s roommate at the U of I. Bob was practicing law in Chicago when

Lisa approached her husband about moving to Peoria. The timing was right. “I was incredibly lucky to get a great offer here at RLI that allowed me to come back to Peoria,” said Gates. A SATISFYING, LIBERATING CAREER RLI Corp., a publicly traded specialty insurer, hired Gates in 2010 as director of communications. Now a company vice president at age 44, she is as exuberant about her employer as she is about her hometown. “I love what I do,” said Gates. “I feel fortunate and lucky to have a career with a company I love working for, and to be a part of the RLI story is fulfilling.” She expresses gratitude for her employer allowing her the flexibility to give of her time to community efforts. “When we moved back to Peoria, I started meeting people in the communitywhowere sharing their lives and talents to make Peoria a better place,” she said. Gates quickly followed suit and got involved, making such a strong impression that she was named to the 2011 class of Peoria’s 40 Under Forty. Children’s Home was one of the first places Gates put her community enhancing skills to work, serving on the board of trustees for the past 14 years. Children’s Home is a multi-faceted agency offering services to central Illinois youth at every stage of their lives and whatever their challenges, including homelessness, mental health issues, developmental and social needs. Gates will become the board’s chairwoman in 2023. It marks a continuation of her family’s history. “My mom was a teacher. She started and ran Project Target, a truancy and dropout prevention program,” Gates said. Through that program, the Frank family got to knowChildren’s Home and many families involved there. “I’ve admired the work Children’s Home has done to serve families in

Lisa with husband Bob and daughter Alex

Lisa with her mother Connie Frank at Peoria Riverfront Museum

the most difficult situations. The work they do is powerful and impactful,” said Gates. Outgoing board Chairman Bi l l Lutz describes Gates as a great communicator with a management style both collaborative and respectful. “She has great business experience and insight,” Lutz said. “She’s extremely organized and very thoughtful about how she proceeds.” Lutz said he also has found Gates to be generous with her time. “This post requires quite a bit of personal time commitment, so her willingness to do that has been fantastic,” Lutz said. “She’s a real pleasure to work with.”

DECEMBER 2022 PEORIA MAGAZINE 37