Lutheran Historical Conference Newsletter

Vol. 38, No. 1...February 2000...ISSN 0460-0274

New Archivists in Chicago

In summer 1999 Kimberly J. Butler and Ellen D. Swain left their positions at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Archives. In addition, an administrative position was created, so that there are three additions to the staff:

Dr. Ruth E. Hamilton has been the new director for archives administration since August 16, 1999. The position carries a variety of responsibilities including administration of general operations, personnel supervision and training, budgeting and building management, among others. Ruth comes to the ELCA Archives from the Newberry Library, Chicago, where she served for eleven years in various positions, most recently as exhibits officer. She has her Ph.D. in English from Northwestern University and has previously taught English on the college level. She is also enrolled part-time as a Master of Divinity student at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Jeannine Strunk is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she received her master's in history and library and information science. While at Milwaukee she worked in the archives of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Urban Archives and as project archivist for the Brooks Stevens collection (the man who put the bun on the Wienermobile) at the Milwaukee Art Museum. She earned her bachelor of arts degrees in English and history at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She began her new position on November 1, 1999. Her current position is assistant archivist for processing and cataloging at the ELCA Archives.

Joel A. Thoreson, the ELCA Archives’ new assistant archivist for reference services, came to the churchwide archives from the Nebraska State Historical Society, where he worked in the Ford Conservation Center's digital imaging lab. Joel also worked part-time at the Lincoln Journal Star on the sports copy desk while he worked through graduate school. Joel earned a master's degree with a double major in history and museum studies from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He has also worked in the museum collections department of the Minnesota Historical Society. He received his undergraduate degree from Augsburg College, Minneapolis. Joel and his wife,
Aimee, welcomed Emma Noel to their family on December 30, 1999. He began his
new position on November 1, 1999.

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