10 Mar 2015

Governor appoints new IDOC Director

By Catherine Kelly
CHICAGO -- Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has selected Donald Stolworthy, 54, of Arlington, Va. to lead the Illinois Department of Corrections as its next Director. Stolworthy brings 15 years of corrections experience to the position and is a recognized expert in corrections reform.
Currently, Stolworthy works at the U.S. State Department in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) as a Corrections Team Leader. He conducts assessments of foreign prison systems to see how the United States can help transform those systems and further U.S. strategic interests. Stolworthy is also the senior corrections subject matter official at the INL and routinely provides policy guidance to senior State Department officials and Assistant Secretaries of State.
Stolworthy also managed the construction of all five prisons in Iraq as the Deputy Director of Operations and Warden Adviser while working for the State Department and U.S. Justice Department. The construction of those prisons was completed on time and under budget by $8 million. In this position, Stolworthy also advised and mentored the Iraqi warden and deputy warden on the best correctional practices.
Stolworthy's career in corrections began in 1999 as a Probation and Parole Officer with the Alaska Department of Corrections. He was promoted three years later to Deputy Commissioner of Operations where he oversaw a number of reforms to make the department more efficient. For example, he created the position of Chief Time Accounting Officer, revised sentence computation policy to reflect statutory changes, improved accuracy of sentence computations and reduced the department's liability.
In addition to his corrections experience, Stolworthy worked as the Special Assistant to the Governor of Alaska, as a legislative aide to a member of the Alaska House of Representatives and as the Division Director of the Alaska Charitable Gaming Division.
Stolworthy graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor's degree in history. He also went through Probation and Parole Officer Basic Academy in Alaska.
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09 Mar 2015

Governor Bruce Rauner Announces Appointments

By Catherine Kelly

CHICAGO - Governor Bruce Rauner today announced appointments to the following boards and commissions: the Illinois Board of Education, Illinois Community College Board, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board, the Illinois Court of Claims and the Illinois Civil Service Commission.

Name: Lazaro Lopez

Position: Chairman - Illinois Community College Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Lazaro Lopez, 47, of Hoffman Estates to become the next chairman of the Illinois Community College Board. Lopez is a well-respected leader in the education field and was named Illinois Principal of the Year in 2013.

Lopez is currently the Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning of Township High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, which is the state's second-largest school district with more than 12,000 students. In this position he is responsible for the development and delivery of effective educational programs within the district's schools.

Prior to his work at the district level, Lopez was the principal of Wheeling High School. He oversaw the school's transition to a STEM-focused curriculum, which better prepares students for today's 21st century economy and world. Lopez held this position from 2007 to 2013.

Lopez is an army veteran, having served our country for three and a half years. He earned his associate's degree from the College of DuPage and a bachelor's degree from Illinois State University. He holds a master's degree from Roosevelt University and a doctorate in education from Aurora University.

Name: John Sanders

Position: Illinois State Board of Education

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected John Sanders, 52, of Marion to the Illinois State Board of Education. Sanders has served on the John A. Logan Community College Board of Trustees since 1997.

Sanders is a partner at Sanders & Sanders, which is a general practice law firm serving all of southern Illinois. The firm has also earned a premier reputation for its work in school law and has represented more than 40 different school districts throughout the region.

In addition to his legal work, Sanders has also served on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness, the Association for Community College Trustees and the Illinois Community College Trustee Association.

Sanders earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Illinois and a law degree from Southern Illinois University.

Name: Arabel Alva Rosales

Position: Board of Directors - Chicago Transit Authority

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Arabel Alva Rosales to the Chicago Transit Authority Board of Directors. She is an entrepreneur, a leader in the Hispanic community and has 15 years of state government experience.

Currently, Rosales is the president and CEO of A. Alva Rosales & Associates, which is a technology firm specializing in project management, technology-based marketing and developing technology infrastructure.

Rosales served the State of Illinois in a number of different positions from 1990 to 2005. Most recently, she was a Commissioner on the Illinois Human Rights Commission. She was also the Director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. Under former Governor Jim Edgar, she served as a Senior Policy Adviser on Urban Issues and as an Assistant to the Governor on Women's Issues and Hispanic Affairs.

Rosales earned her bachelor's degree from Mundelein College at Loyola University and a law degree from DePaul University. She also holds an executive certificate from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Name: Andre Youngblood

Position: Board of Directors - Chicago Transit Authority

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Andre Youngblood, 44, of South Holland to the Chicago Transit Authority Board of Directors. He brings 20 years of experience to the position.

Youngblood is currently the Commercial Insurance Director at Allianz Insurance Co. He manages a $30 million portfolio throughout the Midwest and is responsible for building relationships with key agency partners and profitability growth.

Prior to his work at Allianz, Youngblood worked for the Chubb Group of Insurance as a Commercial Marine Underwriter for three years. He also worked for State Farm Insurance as a Senior Claim Representative for two and a half years.

Youngblood earned his bachelor's degree from the University of California in African-American studies. He earned a master's degree in finance from DeVry University.

Name: Richard Burrow III

Position: Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Richard Burrow III, 59, of O'Fallon to the Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board. Burrow has a background in medical and business fields and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force.

Burrow is currently the Executive Vice President and COO of the Shaw Management Corporation. He is responsible for transforming the organization from a family-owned small business into a thriving corporation. Prior to that, Burrow was the COO of Family Physicians of O'Fallon.

Burrow is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He retired in 1999 as the flight commander for the 375th Medical Operations Squadron. In that position he oversaw health care, preventative medicine and health promotion for more than 18,000 beneficiaries.

Burrow earned his bachelor's degree in nursing from Southern Illinois University, and he holds a master's degree in business management from Colorado Technical University. Burrow also attended Air Command and Staff College and Nursing Service Management within the Air Force.

Name: Mary Patricia Burns

Position: Judge - Illinois Court of Claims

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Mary Burns as Judge of the Illinois Court of Claims. Burns has served in this capacity since July 2009.

 

Burns is president of Burke Burns & Pinelli law firm. She is a managing partner and practicing attorney. Previously, she was an associate at Burke & Smith Chartered. Burns also served as a law clerk for Judge James Murray, researching and writing opinions.

 

Currently, Burns serves as a board member for many service organizations including Mercy Hospital Foundation, Service Club of Chicago and Ronald McDonald Children's Charity of Chicago.

 

Burns earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame, and earned her law degree from Loyola University School of Law.

 

 

Name: Fredrick Bates

Position: Chairman - Illinois Civil Service Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Fredrick Bates to be Chairman of the Illinois Civil Service Commission. Bates has served as an administrative law judge for the Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings since August 2013.

Before becoming a judge, Bates was President of Bates Legal Group, which specializes in management labor and employment law. He was recognized by The Legal Network as one of the top lawyers in 2013.

His other work experience includes being an equity partner at Wildman Harold, et al., President of Albert, Bates, Whitehead, et al., equity partner at Bell, Boyd & Lloyd, and an associate at Seyfarth Shaw. He began his career as a judicial law clerk for Judge Donald Ross on the 8th Circuit United States Court of Appeals.

Bates received a bachelor's degree from Marquette University. He received his law degree from Creighton University School of Law in 1983.

 

 

Name: Garrett FitzGerald

Position: Commissioner - Illinois Civil Service Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Garrett FitzGerald as Commissioner of the Illinois Civil Service Commission. FitzGerald has served the people of Illinois as chairman of the ICSC since May 2011.

For almost nine years, FitzGerald has worked as the executive director for Northcenter Chamber of Commerce. His daily work has helped promote economic development and business growth in the Northcenter neighborhood. The growing chamber has more than 400 current members.

Prior to his work with the Chamber, FitzGerald worked as a policy analyst for the Chicago City Council under Alderman Eugene Schulter and as legislative staff to the Cook County Board of Commissioners.

FitzGerald earned a bachelor's degree in political science from DePaul University.

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06 Mar 2015

Statement on first status report from federal Special Master on IDOT hiring scandal

By Catherine Kelly

Statement attributable to Catherine Kelly, Press Secretary, Office of the Governor

"The report confirms that previous governors were engaged in a corrupt bargain with government unions, making illegal political hires and putting them into protected government union positions. Governor Rauner is committed to reversing the illegal hiring scheme and enacting civil service reforms that will prevent these types of abuses from happening in the future."

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04 Mar 2015

Governor names members of Criminal Justice Reform Commission

By Catherine Kelly

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner announced today the members of the newly created Illinois State Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform. The commission is made of up experts from various fields within the criminal justice system and state legislators. It will be led by Rodger Heaton, the Governor's Public Safety Director.

The commission will analyze all aspects of the criminal justice system from the initial arrest to re-entry into the community. It will look for evidenced-based strategies to reduce the rate of imprisonment, while preserving the public's safety.

"The current prison system is costly, overcrowded and ineffective," Gov. Rauner said. "We need to reform the system to stop the costly and vicious cycle of recidivism and help those who've left prison get the help they need to become productive members of society. This will ultimately save taxpayers money and protect the safety of the public."

Members of the Illinois State Commission on Criminal Justice and Sentencing Reform are as follows:

Chairman: Rodger Heaton - Public Safety Director & Homeland Security Advisor, Office of the Governor

Vice Chairman: Jason Barclay - General Counsel, Office of the Governor

Kathryn T. Bocanegra - Director of Violence Prevention, Enlace Chicago

Jerry Butler - Vice President of Community Corrections, Safer Foundation

Brendan Kelley - State's Attorney, St. Clair County

Andrew D. Leipold - Edwin M. Adams Professor of Law, University of Illinois

John Maki - Executive Director, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

Douglas B. Marlowe - Chief of Science, Law & Policy, National Association of Drug Court Professionals

David E. Olson - Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Loyola University

Michael J. Pelletier - Illinois Appellate Defender

Elena Quintana - Executive Director, Institute for Public Safety - Adler University

Elizabeth Robb - (Ret.) Chief Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit

Pamela F. Rodriguez - President and CEO, Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities

Kathryn Saltmarsh - Executive Director, Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council

Stephen G. Sawyer - Director of Specialty Courts, 2nd Judicial Circuit & (Ret.) Chief Judge

Michael Connelly - State Senator

Karen McConnaughay - State Senator

Michael Noland - State Senator

Kwame Raoul - State Senator

Scott Drury - State Representative

Elgie R. Sims, Jr. - State Representative

Brian W. Stewart - State Representative

John M. Cabello - State Representative

Director, Illinois Department of Corrections

Howard A. Peters III- Former Director, Illinois Department of Corrections

Greg Sullivan - Executive Director, Illinois Sheriffs' Association

Gladyse C. Taylor - Assistant Director, Illinois Department of Corrections

Michael J. Tardy - Director, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

Staff:

Samantha A. Gaddy - Public Safety Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor

Zafreen Farishta - Public Safety Dunn Fellow, Office of the Governor

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03 Mar 2015

Governor Rauner Issues Statement on Death of Minnie Minoso

By Catherine Kelly

Sunday, March 1, 2015 -CHICAGO - Governor Bruce Rauner issued the following statement today on the death of former Chicago White Sox player Minnie Minoso:

"Chicago and the State of Illinois have lost a legend; Minnie Minoso was a trailblazer, a leader and an extraordinary baseball player. The 'Cuban Comet' inspired generations as the first black player for the White Sox and Chicago and one of the first Latino stars in the major leagues. Decades after Minoso's time on the field was over, his impact is still felt throughout the major leagues and the city. The entire state owes him a debt of gratitude."

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03 Mar 2015

Gov. Rauner Announces Appointments

By Catherine Kelly

Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has filled four seats on the Illinois Racing Board.

Name: Shelley Kalita

Position: Commissioner - Illinois Racing Board

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Shelley Kalita, 62, of Chicago to serve as a commissioner on the Illinois Racing Board. It's a return to the Illinois Racing Board for Kalita, where she worked in various capacities for 33 years.

Kalita worked at the board from 1977 to 2010. She began her career there as a forensic chemist and was promoted to laboratory director in 1988. In that position she directed drug testing programs in Illinois horse racing and managed all aspects of lab testing and administrative operations. She also testified as an expert on drug matters in horse racing. From 2002 to 2010, she was the board's general counsel. In this capacity she was the legal adviser to the executive director, board members and staff. She also prepared and tried license hearings.

Currently, Kalita is the owner of her own law firm, the Kalita Law Group P.C. She focuses on practicing immigration and family law.

Kalita earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in zoology. She holds a master's degree in forensic science from the University of Illinois, Chicago and a law degree from DePaul University.

 

 

 

Name: Travis Swoope

Position: Commissioner - Illinois Racing Board

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Travis Swoope, 42, of Chicago to the Illinois Racing Board.

Swoope is currently an account executive for Microsoft, where he manages client relationships for the company's Midwest accounts. He has worked for Microsoft for more than nine years, and in this position, Swoope is responsible for $25 million in annual revenue.

Prior to his work at Microsoft, Swoope was a senior solution strategist at Centerpost Communications, which was a company that provided automated communications between companies and their customers. Swoope led sales and delivery teams in driving customer multi-channel solutions. Swoope also spent six years at Accenture where he led client engagements for large-scale financial services projects.

Swoope is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University, earning a bachelor's degree in management. He also holds an MBA from the University of Chicago.

 

 

Name: Jeffrey Brincat

Position: Commissioner and Chair - Illinois Racing Board

 

Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has selected Jeffrey Brincat, 52, of Lake Forest to the Illinois Racing Board.

Brincat is currently the President and CEO a consumer finance company. He's worked there for more than 15 years.

Brincat is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served our country for nearly seven years until 1990.

Brincat earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in 1984. He earned an MBA from Lake Forest College in 1995.

 

Name: Robert Muriel

Position: Commissioner - Illinois Racing Board

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Robert Muriel, 49, of Highland Park as a commissioner to the Illinois Racing Board.

Muriel owns and manages a small-business litigation firm, Muriel Law Offices, LLC. His practice focuses on commercial, real estate, intellectual property, professional liability and consumer litigation. He's owned this practice since 2005. Previously, he was a partner and owner of Nery & Muriel LLC from 2003 to 2004. Muriel has also worked at the law firms of Ungaretti & Harris and Hinshaw & Culbertson.

Muriel was a law clerk for Judge Allen Hartman in the Appellate Court of Illinois from 1994 to 1996.

Muriel graduated from the University of Illinois with two bachelor's degrees in accounting and finance, and he worked as a tax consultant for two years before attending law school. He earned his law degree from Loyola University Chicago in 1993.

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27 Feb 2015

Governor Rauner Announces Appointments

By Catherine Kelly

Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has nominated Ramon Cepeda and Jill Smart for openings on the University of Illinois' Board of Trustees.

Name: Ramon Cepeda 

Position: Board of Trustees - University of Illinois

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Ramon Cepeda to the Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois. Cepeda is a graduate of UIC and is currently a senior vice president at Northern Trust.

Cepeda has worked at Northern Trust since 2007. Currently, he oversees the commercial real estate group, which he created in 2010. He also works as the managing director of the wealth management division.

Prior to his work at Northern Trust, Cepeda worked for LaSalle Bank (now Bank of America) as the first vice president in the commercial real estate group. He was responsible for construction and acquisition loans throughout the Midwest. Cepeda also worked for Second Federal Savings and Loan and Source One Mortgage.

 

Cepeda graduated from the University of Illinois in 1990 with a degree in criminal justice. He was also selected as a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow in 2011.

 

 

Name: Jill Smart

Position: Board of Trustees - University of Illinois

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Jill Smart to serve on the University of Illinois' Board of Trustees. She is a graduate of U of I and worked as an adjunct professor, and she was a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Smart also has nearly 35 years of experience in human resources. 

 

Smart worked for Accenture for most of her professional career. She retired from the company in 2014 as Chief Human Resources Officer. She was responsible for the full employee lifecycle at the global company. She was also a member of Accenture's Global Management Committee.

Currently, Smart is the president of the National Academy of Human Resources (NAHR), a non-profit organization that recognizes individuals and institutions for their work in human resources.  

 

Smart holds an M.B.A from the University of Chicago. She earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

 

Governor Rauner announced today he has made appointments to the Board of Trustees at Southern Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University and Chicago State University.

 

Name: John Gilbert

Position: Board of Trustees - Southern Illinois University

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected John Gilbert, 65, of Carbondale to the Board of Trustees at Southern Illinois University. Gilbert is a life-long public servant and is currently a United States District Court Judge (senior status).

Gilbert was appointed to the federal bench in 1992, and currently presides over criminal and civil cases. Prior to that, he was a First Judicial Circuit Court Judge for nearly five years.

Gilbert has also served the people of Illinois as a member of the State Board of Elections, where he set policy matters for the board and presided over election challenges.

Gilbert holds a law degree from Loyola University Chicago. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois.

 

Name: Joel Sambursky 

Position: Board of Trustees - Southern Illinois University

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Joel Sambursky, 32, of Carbondale to serve on the Board of Trustees at Southern Illinois University. Sambursky is a graduate of SIU and is the president of Liberty Wealth Management, LLC.

Sambursky has worked at Liberty Wealth Management since 2012. Currently, he manages the day-to-day affairs of the firm including financial and investment planning, marketing and client recruitment. He also advises clients on retirement and college savings plans.

Prior to his work at Liberty Wealth Management, Sambursky worked for Forbes Financial Group in Carbondale as a financial adviser. He advised clients and helped determine if they had adequate retirement assets and insurance policies. Sambursky also worked for the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce.

Sambursky graduated from Southern Illinois University in 2005 with a degree in science finance and earned an MBA in 2007. He was also recognized for his athletic accomplishments during his four years on the SIU football team.

 

Name: Amy Sholar 

Position: Board of Trustees - Southern Illinois University

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Amy Sholar, 43, of Alton to serve on the Board of Trustees at Southern Illinois University. Sholar is a graduate of SIU - Edwardsville and currently owns her own law firm.

Sholar has owned the Law Office of Amy Sholar, P.C. since 2004. Prior to owning her own law firm, Sholar worked for the City of Alton as a planning coordinator. She was responsible for community redevelopment, real estate acquisitions and zoning matters.

Sholar was also a recipient of the 2012 Women of Distinction award.

Sholar graduated from Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville in 1998 with a degree in business administration and holds a law degree from St. Louis University.

 

Name: Timothy Burke

Position: Board of Trustees - Eastern Illinois University

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Timothy Burke, 65, of Evanston to become a member of the Eastern Illinois University's Board of Trustees. Burke is a graduate of EIU and is currently a member of the EIU Foundation Board of Trustees.

Burke is currently a project risk manager at William Blair & Company. In this role, he works on financial risk management and internal control matters. For ten years until 2012, he was the company's CFO.

Prior to his work at William Blair & Company, Burke worked at Arthur Andersen & Company for more than 20 years. He became partner in 1987 in the audit practice of the financial services group. He also managed a World Bank project in Indonesia focused on reforming securities industry regulations.

Burke received his bachelor's degree in math and master's degree in counseling from EIU. While earning his MS, he also served the EIU community as a residence hall counselor.

 

Name: Rev. Dr. Marshall Hatch

Position: Board of Trustees - Chicago State University

 

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Rev. Dr. Marshall Hatch to join the Chicago State University Board of Trustees. Hatch has spent years in the community and in public service to help others.

Since 1993, Hatch has been the pastor of the New Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church on Chicago's west side. Prior to that, he served as the pastor of Commonwealth Baptist Church.

Throughout his work in the ministry, Hatch has created and developed a number of outreach programs. He is responsible for an interfaith affordable housing development project, which built more than 200 homes for Chicago families. He also established an annual mission trip for inner-city youth.

Hatch earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Western Illinois University. He holds a master's degree in government from Georgetown University. Hatch also earned a doctorate and masters degree in ministry and theological studies from McCormick Theological Seminary. He was also one of four Merrill Fellows at the Harvard Divinity School in 1998.

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24 Feb 2015

Governor Announces More Appointments

By Catherine Kelly
February 20, 2015 - Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has selected a new Assistant Secretary for the Illinois Department of Transportation and filled openings on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.

Name: Rich Brauer
Position: Assistant Secretary - Illinois Department of Transportation

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Rep. Rich Brauer to serve as the Assistant Secretary at the Illinois Department of Transportation. Brauer has served on transportation committees, and as a downstate resident, he will be a strong advocate for the region on transportation issues.

For the past 13 years, Brauer worked for the people of Illinois in the General Assembly as a state representative. His committee assignments included Transportation, Regulation, Roads; Transportation: Vehicles & Safety; Tourism & Conventions; and Appropriations, among others.

Brauer also spent much of his career in the agricultural industry as the owner of OASIS Farms, a farrow-to-finish operation. As the owner he oversaw the creation of new facilities and managed employees. He is a member of the Illinois Farm Bureau. Brauer is also the past president of the Illinois Pork Producers and served on the Board of Directors of the National Pork Producers.

Brauer attended Southern Illinois University and Western Illinois University.

 

Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission

Name: Joann Fratianni-Atsaves
Position: Chairman - Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Joann Fratianni-Atsaves as the chairman of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (IWCC). She has 34 years of experience in workers' compensation law and is currently an arbitrator on the IWCC.

Fratianni-Atsaves has worked for the IWCC for the past 27 years. She began her career as an arbitrator in 1987 and was appointed to be a commissioner from 1990 to 1993. She continued her work as an arbitrator after her term as a commissioner was complete. She currently hears workers' compensation matters by trial or settlement, and renders written decisions and approves settlement contracts.

Prior to her work for the IWCC, Fratianni-Atsaves worked in private practice at the law offices of Anthony V. Fanone where she handled insurance defense litigation for workers' compensation matters, often trying cases within the IWCC. She began her legal career at Osterkamp, Jackson & Hollywood.

Fratianni-Atsaves is a graduate of the University of Illinois and earned her law degree at Northern Illinois University.

 

Name: David Gore
Position: Commissioner - Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed David Gore to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (IWCC). This will be Gore's fourth term as a commissioner and he has served on the board since 2006. He represents the employee community as a labor commissioner.

Gore has more than 20 years of experience as an attorney, previously serving as a partner at the law firm Gore & Gore. It specialized in workers' compensation cases. He also worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the Illinois Attorney General and a staff attorney with the Illinois Legislative Reference Bureau.

Gore also has experience working on workers' compensation matters as a staff representative for the United Steel Workers of America, AFL-CIO-CLC. He handled unfair labor practice charges and represented the union before the National Labor Relations Board.

Gore holds a bachelor's degree in marketing, a law degree and an M.B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

 

Name: Kevin Lamborn
Position: Commissioner - Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Kevin Lamborn to a third term as a commissioner of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (IWCC). He has served on the board since 2007 as a Business Member Appointee. In this position, he conducts hearings and issues written decisions on litigation appealed from arbitration.

Prior to his work on the IWCC, Lamborn was an associate attorney at Storino, Ramello & Durkin where he practiced municipal law. He represented local municipalities in civil actions, and also served as an Administrative Hearing officer in property impoundment and code violations.

Lamborn's legal career also included being a partner at McAauley & Lamborn. In that practice, Lamborn focused on a large range of the law including civil litigation, property transactions, work-related injury, and criminal defense, among others.

Lamborn began his career as an Assistant State's Attorney in Cook County. He worked his way up from traffic court to the felony trial division. He spent his final two years in the Special Prosecutions Bureau, where he investigated and tried cases involving public officials accused of misconduct.

Lamborn received his law degree from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. He earned two bachelor's degrees in political science and criminal justice from Valparaiso University.

 

Name: Joshua Luskin
Position: Commissioner - Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Joshua Luskin to serve as a public member commissioner on the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. Luskin is currently an arbitrator on the IWCC and has more than 15 years of law experience.

Prior to his work on the IWCC, Luskin was a partner at the law firm Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, where he specialized in workers' compensation law. Luskin also served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, where he handled military prosecution and offered legal service to members of the military. He also worked in the Champaign County State's Attorney's office, and in the State's Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor's office.

Luskin graduated from Macalester College in 1994 with a degree in philosophy. He earned his law degree from the University of Michigan.

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17 Feb 2015

Gov. Rauner establishes Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandate Task Force

By Catherine Kelly

Sanguinetti to chair task force

ELMHURST - Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner today signed Executive Order 15-15 creating the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandate Task force.  Lt. Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti will chair the task force, which is charged with finding efficiencies and encouraging streamlining of local government functions.

"Illinois leads the nation with nearly 7,000 units of local government," Rauner said. "Many of these unnecessary layers of government are why hardworking families end up paying some of the highest property taxes in the nation."

Task force members will be appointed by the Governor, and include representatives of units of local government, school districts, and the General Assembly from throughout Illinois.

The task force is required to submit its findings to the Governor and General Assembly by December 31, 2015, upon which time it will be dissolved.

Governor Rauner was joined today by DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin, whose ACT Initiative is saving DuPage County millions of dollars throughout the next 20 years.

"We need to lessen the burden of unfunded mandates imposed by the state on local governments while also encouraging streamlining of local government functions in order to save taxpayers money," Rauner added.

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11 Feb 2015

Gov. Bruce Rauner Eliminates Unfair Share Dues for Government Employees

By Catherine Kelly

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner today signed Executive Order 15-13 eliminating unfair share dues for state employees who do not wish to fund government union activities and positions with which they may disagree.

The governor's actions come after an extensive legal review of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last year in Harris v. Quinn. In that case, the Supreme Court ruled that the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act violated the First Amendment by forcing certain state employees to involuntarily pay fees to a labor union.

In light of that decision, the Rauner administration has concluded that the so-called "fair share" provisions of the current collective bargaining agreements, that are similar to those invalidated by the Supreme Court in Harris v. Quinn, are also unconstitutional.

"Forced union dues are a critical cog in the corrupt bargain that is crushing taxpayers. Government union bargaining and government union political activity are inexorably linked," Governor Rauner said. "An employee who is forced to pay unfair share dues is being forced to fund political activity with which they disagree. That is a clear violation of First Amendment rights - and something that, as governor, I am duty-bound to correct."

The executive order allows state employees who wish not to support government unions' activities to stop paying the forced fees. It has no impact on those employees who wish to remain paying members of the union and fund union activities out of their paychecks.

Additional Background:

·         The federal government prohibited the forced collection of union dues in 1978 as part of the Civil Service Reform Act signed by President Jimmy Carter. That law passed the U.S. Senate 87-1 and the U.S. House of Representatives 365-8. Illinois Senator Charles Percy was one of the co-sponsors.

·         29 other states have laws that prohibit government entities from forcing public workers join or financially support labor organizations that they do not support.

·         While Harris v. Quinn only decided the constitutional issue as it relates to a subset of Illinois state employees (home care workers), the Supreme Court's majority opinion found that much of the landmark case Abood v. Detroit Board of Education was "questionable on several grounds."

·         Notably, the Supreme Court said in Harris v. Quinn:

 

o   "Abood failed to appreciate the conceptual difficulty of distinguishing in public-sector cases between union expenditures that are made for collective-bargaining purposes and those that are made to achieve political ends. In the private sector, the line is easier to see. Collective bargaining concerns the union's dealings with the employer; political advocacy and lobbying are directed at the government. But in the public sector, both collective-bargaining and political advocacy and lobbying are directed at the government."

o   "Abood failed to appreciate the difference between the core union speech involuntarily subsidized by dissenting public-sector employees and the core union speech involuntarily funded by their counterparts in the private sector. In the public sector, core issues such as wages, pensions, and benefits are important political issues, but that is generally not so in the private sector. In the years since Abood, as state and local expenditures on employee wages and benefits have mushroomed, the importance of the difference between bargaining in the public and private sectors has been driven home."

§  "Recent experience has borne out this concern. See DiSalvo, The Trouble with Public Sector Unions, National Affairs No. 5, p. 15 (2010) ( 'In Illinois, for example, public-sector unions have helped create a situation in which the state's pension funds report a liability of more than $100 billion, at least 50% of it unfunded')."

o   "A union's status as exclusive bargaining agent and the right to collect an agency fee from non-members are not inextricably linked. For example, employees in some federal agencies may choose a union to serve as the exclusive bargaining agent for the unit, but no employee is required to join the union or to pay any union fee. Under federal law, in agencies in which unionization is permitted, 'each employee shall have the right to form, join, or assist any labor organization, or to refrain from any such activity, freely and without fear of penalty or reprisal, and each employee shall be protected in the exercise of such right.'"

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