Pileckis retiring after 35 years as ‘artistic North Star’ of Schaumburg’s cultural services

Rob Pileckis, an early pioneer of the village of Schaumburg’s innovative cultural services department, will retire Wednesday after 35 years as its “artistic North Star.”

The Schaumburg native who gained earlier experience with the Schaumburg Park District was only the fourth full-time employee of the village’s then-3-year-old Prairie Center for the Arts when he came aboard in September 1989.

The decades since have seen a gradual increase of his responsibilities as his title evolved to production supervisor and ultimately assistant director.

With Schaumburg’s continual array of popular shows, concerts and receptions, Pileckis said he still knows of no other municipality in the region than Chicago providing area residents the same cultural opportunities.

“It just astounds me how we were able to make this happen,” Pileckis said.

Had such an opportunity not presented itself at that time, when he was three years out of college, Pileckis believes he would have still pursued something in theater or writing.

With the strong support of then-mayor Al Larson, whose name the Prairie Center now bears, the village’s Summer Theatre program and Schaumburg Youth Orchestra were just starting up at the same time.

His own artistic expression has included writing plays for the center and implementing programs for the community such as the Screen Test Student Fest for young filmmakers.

That’s why Tiana Weiler, who became the department’s third director in 2022, refers to Pileckis as its artistic guiding light. She said he’s taken his role very seriously in an area that’s all about others having fun.

“I think people really enjoyed him,” she said.

And now that his duties have evolved into something so specific and unique, replacing such a person after 35 years was something of a challenge, Weiler said.

Nevertheless, the posting of the position back in February attracted 160 applicants. But while there was never going to be an exact replacement for Pileckis, it didn’t take long to narrow the list to the few who possessed more than just one or two aspects of the experience being sought, she added.

The post ultimately went to Eddie Sugarman, who previously served as executive artistic director of The Theatre of Western Springs, a private theater company.

Weiler said he started last Monday to allow for a week and a half overlap with Pileckis before the latter’s retirement on the last day of the village’s fiscal year.