Susan Wynn Bence has been elected the Illinois Federation of Republican Women (IFRW) as its new president.

Bence will oversee nine regions and 41 clubs. It is the largest grassroots volunteer Republican women's organization in Illinois, according to the news release.

Bence joined the IFRW in the late '90s and has been significantly involved ever since. She is the past president of the Iroquois County Republican Women's Club. She has also served the IFRW as membership chairman prior to becoming the second vice president in 2014.

She served as the chief of staff and campaign manager for former state representative Josh Harms and chief of staff to state representative Tom Bennett before accepting her current position as the Springfield director for Illinois Lieutenant Govenor Evelyn Sanguinette.

Other elected officers include first vice president Sue Hamilton of Carterville, second vice president Jayne Lehman Raef of Bourbonnais, third vice president Lt. Governor Evelyn Pacino Sanguinette of Wheaton, fourth vice president Linda Brown of Savoy, secretary Mary Sundermeyer of Savoy, and treasurer Elaine Zannis of Oak Brook.

The IFRW will host its spring conference April 15-16 in Carbondale.

94.1 WGFA