On Abraham Lincoln's 207th birthday, Governor Bruce Rauner has announced honors for one of a kind leaders from Illinois.

Former Secretary of Transportation and longtime Peoria based Congressman Ray LaHood leads a list of Order of Lincoln winners that includes some household names. LaHood says his time in the Obama Cabinet was a one of a kind experience.

In a time of increased talk of term limits, the end of LaHood's Congressional career was self imposed.

The Order of Lincoln is the state’s highest honor for professional achievement and public service. In addition to LaHood, honorees include another Peoria native Nancy Goodman Brinker. She founded the Susan G. Komen for the Cure charity, which leads the fight against breast cancer.

Robert Gilmore Industrial leader and philanthropist.

Also honored is Chicago Mercantile Exchange Chairman Leo Melamed, Scott Simon Host of NPR's 'Weekend Edition Saturday" and Bradley University professor and state poet laureate Kevin Stein.

The Order of Lincoln will be presented at the 52nd Annual Convocation and Investiture of Laureates in Peoria on May 7.