New Philadelphia Association announces election of new officers, including Iftner as president

BARRY, Ill. — The New Philadelphia Association (NPA) recently announced the election of its new officers and the adoption of a new board structure, marking a significant milestone in the organization’s ongoing mission to support and promote the legacy of the town of New Philadelphia near Barry as the first town in the United States planned and legally registered by an African American, Free Frank McWorter, in 1836.

New Philadelphia became a unit of the National Park Service as the New Philadelphia National Historic Site in December 2022.

Following a 4½ month transition planning process, the NPA elected its four officers and adopted a new board structure with new bylaws, an executive committee and a larger national board of directors at its board meeting on Feb. 18.

Kaye Iftner was elected as the new president of the NPA. She succeeds Gerald McWorter, who has been acting as interim president since October 2024 upon the retirement of Phil Bradshaw, who served for 28 years as the founding president.

Iftner is a resident of Pittsfield for the past 20 years and an NPA board member since 2009. She retired from the agricultural business industry in 2006 after 33 years of sales, marketing and communications roles with American Cyanamid and then BASF and moved back to Illinois to be closer to family in the Godfrey/Alton area. After a short break, she joined the Pike County Chamber of Commerce in 2008 as executive director, a position she held until retiring in 2018.

At the New Philadelphia Association, Iftner has served as public relations and communications chair and managed the Likes Lecture Series for the past few years.

Other elected officers were:

Vice President: Gerald McWorter, the great-great-grandson of Frank and Lucy McWorter, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois, and a longtime advocate for the recognition of New Philadelphia’s historical significance.

Treasurer: Becky Winner, who has been instrumental in managing the organization’s finances, continues in her role to ensure the NPA’s fiscal health. She is a retired teacher, librarian and author and lives in Pittsfield.

Secretary: Kate Williams-McWorter, a retired professor in information sciences from the University of Illinois. Carol McCartney will continue in an advisory role.

The newly created executive committee will assemble soon and help with the organization of the larger national board.

For more information about the New Philadelphia Association and upcoming initiatives, visit newphiladelphiail.org.