Long-time Kewanee Businessman Bill Breedlove has been selected as the 2025 Outstanding Citizen by the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Club.
“This year we are honoring Bill for his lifelong service to the community,” said Ambassador Club member Dave Harker. “The Breedlove name has long been associated with service in Kewanee and the surrounding area as he is a legacy recipient as his father Robert Breedlove was named Outstanding Citizen in 1996”
Breedlove’s Sporting Goods recently celebrated their 75th year in downtown Kewanee. For more than 50 of those years Bill Breedlove has been there right along other members of his family. Such is life in a small town family-owned business.
Nominated by many of his employees and other members of the community, Breedlove has been involved not only running the family business but also working with numerous schools, groups and organizations. The list includes organizing many youth sports programs including football, wrestling and volleyball and he has also been named a “Friend of Baseball” by the Kewanee Park District. He founded the Kewanee Duathlon and has been co-race director of the Hog Day Stampede for 30 years and the Kewanee Hardcore Run.
Breedlove was a charter member of the Kewanee High School Athletic Hall of Fame and sits on the board of that group presently. He was part of the Kewanee football stadium committee that has upgraded the facility to one of the finest in the area. He has been honored by Abilities Plus, Kewanee YMCA, Salvation Army and the Illinois Athletic Directors Association and many others for his service.
He is married to LaJean and the couple have three grown children Cal, Maddie and Jack. Cal is currently stepping into the footsteps of his dad and grandfather running the online presence of Breedlove’s Sporting Goods. Breedlove is a graduate of Kewanee High School and Monmouth College where he played football for the Fighting Scots. Bill also has a deep passion for all things Elvis.
A community recognition banquet will be held, details of that event will be released at a later date.
