Evergreen Park Community High School has added a name to its list of Hall of Famers. Gary Sievers, a 1968 EPCHS graduate who became well-known for his acting, public speaking, work in radio and television, community service, civic leadership and teaching, was posthumously inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame during the Honors Night ceremony held on April 29.
Sievers died in December. The honor was accepted by his wife, Claire Sievers, daughter-in-law, Jenna Venezia and son, Brian Sievers.
During Gary Sievers’ time as an EPCHS student, he was involved in numerous sports and activities, including having served as the president of the student council and winning the Senior Service Award in 1968. As a member of the Speech Club, Sievers became the first EPCHS student in school history to be invited to the New Trier Tournament of Champions.
After earning a bachelor’s of arts degree from Northwestern University and then master’s of arts degrees in theater arts/film and theology from UCLA, Sievers distinguished himself in acting, public speaking, radio/TV/film, community service/civic leadership and teaching.
As an actor, Sievers was perhaps best known for his one-man show, “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” in colleges and universities throughout the nation. In public speaking, he’s been listed in the Biltmore’s Who’s Who of Public Speakers and was a three-year officer in the National Speakers Association based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
His career in radio, TV and film includes three Emmy wins for his work on Inside Maricopa Sports. He was also a three-year voiceover spokesman for Smitty’s Grocery Chain in Phoenix, Arizona, did more than 1,000 commercials for Donner Advertising Detroit and Yaffee Advertising Southfield Michigan and was the first TV voice-over voice for Dos Equis Beer in America. He did radio work for UCLA athletics for many years, having been on the air for John Wooden’s final NCAA basketball championship and UCLA’s 1976 Rose Bowl upset win over top-ranked Ohio State.
In 2017, Sievers was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Award for Community Service for his nearly 8,000 hours of service. His teaching career includes stops at UCLA and Arizona State University.