Millennium Magazine_6th Ed

116 Millennium - A Marquis Who’s Who Magazine P rior to commencing his career in teaching, Dr. Edward Fraser Searing worked in construction but felt unfulfilled in his work. Backed by an AA from the Kemper Military School from 1963 and a BA in history from the University of Miami from 1967, Dr. Searing decided to return to school after serving in the military and pursue a career in teaching. He enrolled in the National College of Education and achieved his MA in education in 1971, as well as an EdD from Northern Illinois University in 1993. Dr. Searing began teaching in 1971 and remained committed to the Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 in Illinois for the entirety of his career. For six years, he was a teacher before serving as an academic administrator and principal until his retirement in 2004. Alongside his years in education, Dr. Searing holds a commercial pilot license, in which he served WW Helicopters in East Troy, Wisconsin, from 2004 to 2011 and was a helicopter pilot reporting traffic for STAR 105.5 in 2003. He also was the director of the Northwest Suburban Principals Center in Arlington Heights from 1982 to 1992, and is on the board for Taknosys Software Corporation. Looking back on his career, Dr. Searing was proud to have been invited to attend the first Principal’s Center Convention at Harvard University in 1984. Numerous principals attended the conference, where they shared their leadership efforts and learned from each other. Dr. Searing credits his first superintendent as one of the major influences on his career. Dr. Searing is a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, having served as a Marine officer and Naval Aviator in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969, where he participated in more than 850 combat missions. He has been awarded 43 Air Medals, along with a Naval Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Dr. Searing is also a member of the National Association of Elementary School Principals and American Legion. DR. EDWARD FRASER SEARING ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR (RETIRED) Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 Wheeling, IL EDUCATION