"Fernando stepped up to the immense challenge of leading the
consolidation of four legacy agencies into a regulatory
mega-agency," Blagojevich said. "His knowledge of the legal and
regulatory processes, ability to grasp complex issues, leadership
skills, and his reputation as a reasonable regulator were essential
to carrying out my objectives of protecting consumers and
streamlining regulatory processes. Secretary Grillo led my working
group on payday lending reform, worked on the pharmacy rule on
emergency contraception, the I-Save Rx program, medical malpractice
reform, led a regulatory investigation into insurance broker
commissions, and the banning of Toughman competitions in Illinois."
"I have been truly honored and humbled by the opportunity to have
served in Governor Blagojevich's cabinet," Grillo said. "My decision
to leave the cabinet is a personal decision based on very special
family circumstances and needs. I thank the governor for his support
of my decision. I will miss the devoted men and women of the
department who have given me tremendous support and have advanced
the department during a time of tremendous change."
Under the new Department of Financial and Professional
Regulation, Illinois taxpayers now have a central consumer
protection agency that proactively implements legislation to protect
Illinois consumers from unscrupulous payday lending operators,
enhance regulation of physicians, bring transparency to the
insurance rate-setting process, increase workman's compensation
protection for workers while protecting businesses from fraudulent
insurance claims, ensure that women have access to emergency
contraception without delays, and address the nurse shortage in
Illinois, including nurses serving bilingual communities.
Grillo was appointed as director of professional
regulation in July 2003 and elevated to secretary of the Department
of Financial and Professional Regulation upon announcement of the
consolidation of the former departments of Financial Institutions,
Insurance, Professional Regulation, and the Office of Banks and Real
Estate. Both appointments required Senate confirmation. Prior to
joining the administration, he had a private legal practice that
specialized in real estate, municipal law, regulatory matters and
governmental relations. Between 1995 and 2000, he was a senior vice
president at Ramirez & Co. Inc., an investment banking firm, where
he was responsible for the firm's Midwest and Puerto Rico
operations. He formerly served as a deputy commissioner of Chicago's
Housing Department and director of licensing administration for
Chicago's Department of Consumer Services.
Grillo is a graduate of the John Marshall Law
School. He and his wife, Alejandra, live in Chicago's Logan Square
community.
