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James T. Sykes  

Senior Advisor for Aging Policy Department of Population Health Sciences Medical School University of Wisconsin .

James Sykes has distinguished careers in public service, higher education, philanthropy and housing. A Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, Mr. Sykes has taught for many years in the Department of Preventive Medicine (recently renamed to Population Health Sciences) and served as the Associate Director of the University’s Institute of Aging. He lectures throughout the United States and overseas on issues affecting the health, housing and aspirations of older people.

For nearly twenty years, Mr. Sykes was an officer of The Wisconsin Cheeseman, a private corporation that not only produces quality products but also provides quality housing and effective services to older people. As President of the Cremer Foundation (affiliated with the corporation), Mr. Sykes was instrumental in the development of the Colonial Club--a multi-purpose senior center including an adult day care facility and comprehensive programs and services, and in elderly housing including Colonial View, a federally assisted housing facility and corporate-sponsored housing for older persons.

He was appointed by President Carter as Vice Chair of the Federal Council on Aging, and by Presidents Clinton and Carter to leadership positions with White House Conferences on Aging. He has chaired the Wisconsin Board on Aging, the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority and the Dane County Housing Authority. He is a past Chair of the National Council on the Aging, Chair of the North American Committee of the International Association of Gerontology and currently serves on the boards of eight local state, national and international organizations.

Mr. Sykes developed and managed 260 units of elderly housing and serves as a consultant for the development of other elderly housing programs. He chaired the Housing with Services Track of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging. In 2001, Mr. Sykes was appointed to the Congressional Commission on Affordable Housing and Health Care Facility Needs of Senior Citizens. He developed an outstanding training program for housing managers and community health care professionals, published a series of primers based on the training program, and continues to advise groups in the private and public sectors about ways to meet the challenge for affordable, supportive housing programs. He is the author of many articles and made dozens of presentations on housing for older adults.

His photographs of older people have appeared on the covers of many publications often with articles he has written based on his research and travel in more than 55 countries. He has received international, national, state and local recognition for his achievements and public service.

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