Meggan Hill-McQueeney, granddaughter of Frances and the late Bob Bickelhaupt, co-founders of the Bickelhaupt Arboretum, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Arboretum, effective January 1, 2007.

McQueeney is the General Manager of Kickapoo Farms, a premier cutting horse breeding farm in Barrington, IL. A graduate of the University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, she also holds title as the Vice-President of Cowboy Dreams of IL for the last 8 years, which is a 501 (c) (3) hippotherapy and therapeutic riding program for children and is knowledgeable in all aspects of non-profit management.

She was President of Cowboy Dreams, Inc in Colorado for 6 years prior, also a non-profit. She also serves on the Equestrian Committee for the North America Riding for the Handicapped Association, is a Certified Special Olympics Coach, and a NARHA Masters Candidate for Therapeutic Riding. Meggan owns her own company All Heart, Inc which places horses throughout the United States.

She joins four other family members of the Arboretum: Shawn Hill-Lamb, Bettendorf, IA; Linda B. Galanis, Southbury, CT; Frances Bickelhaupt and Francie B. Hill of Clinton on the Board of Directors. Other Board members include: Dr. Ed Hasselkus, professor emeritus University of WI-Madison; Dr. Jeff Iles, chairman of Department of Horticulture, Iowa State; University and Alan Craig, of Iseli Nursery, Boring, OR.

The fourteen-acre arboretum at 340 S. 14 Street in Clinton opened 37 years ago. The collections are open dawn to dusk, free of charge every day of the year. Francie Hill, executive director today announced the 2006 visitor statistics: 27,195 visitors to the grounds and 79,654 visits to the web page (www.bickarb.org). For further information on the programs, events and classes call 563-242-4771 or visit the web page.