Amended
Governor Announces Appointments
Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder appointed to Illinois Labor Relations Board

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[March 15, 2015]  CHICAGO – Governor Bruce Rauner today announced he has filled openings on the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, the Illinois Criminal Justice and Information Authority, the Illinois Employment Security Review Board, the Illinois Pollution Control Board and the Illinois Labor Relations Board.

Name: Keith A. Snyder

Position: Board Member – Illinois Labor Relations Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Keith A. Snyder, 55, to the Illinois Labor Relations Board. Snyder currently serves as the Mayor of the City of Lincoln, a community of 14,500.

Snyder also serves as the Associate Vice President at Lincoln Christian University, managing endowment fundraising along with developing monthly performance review processes for the school.

Previously, Snyder worked as a procurement specialist for State Farm Mutual Insurance Companies and an ethics officer for the Illinois State Senate. He also served as a board member of the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board for six years under Governor Jim Edgar.

Snyder earned his bachelor’s degree in political studies from the University of Illinois at Springfield, and he earned his master’s degree in business administration from Illinois State University.

Mayor Snyder said that he would be resigning his position with Lincoln Christian University as well as his position as Mayor of the city of Lincoln.  He said that this is required according to state rule in order for him to fill the position on the board.

There are two years remaining of the four-year mayoral term that began on May 1, 2013.   

--LDN

Illinois Commerce Commission

Name: John Rosales

Position: Commissioner - Illinois Commerce Commission


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected John Rosales to join the Illinois Commerce Commission as a Commissioner. Rosales brings years of management experience to the position.

Rosales is currently the Director of the south Chicago campus of Olive-Harvey College. He is responsible for the management and direction of the campus by managing students, faculty and staff. He also works to grow enrollment within Chicago’s southeast side.

In addition, Rosales is also a Commissioner on the Cook County Sheriff’s Merit Board. He’s held this position since 2011. This board considers the promotions of Cook County Sheriff’s Police Officers and presides over disciplinary cases.

Prior to his work at City Colleges of Chicago, Rosales worked for more than 18 years at the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Chicago and for Coca-Cola Enterprises. With the CCBC of Chicago he was the Sales Center Manager and Vice President of Community and Government Affairs. At Coca-Cola Enterprises, he was the Manager of Community Affairs and Business Development.

Rosales earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University. He is a resident of Chicago.


Illinois Prisoner Review Board

Name: Craig Findley

Position: Chairman – Prisoner Review Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Craig Findley to be the new Chairman of the Prisoner Review Board. Findley was appointed in February 2001 and has previously served as the chairman from January 2003 to May 2004.

Prior to joining the Prisoner Review board, Findley served as the President of Craig Findley Associates, a consulting firm. He also owned and published three Illinois weekly newspapers. Findley previously served as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Transportation. He was also a former member of the Illinois House of Representatives and was a senior aide to Congressman Bob Michel.

Findley has long been active in organizations that advocate adoption and promote the best interests of children. Findley is a member and twice Chairman of the Lincoln Land Community College Board of Trustees, and member of the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra. He has served as President of the Jacksonville Public Library and as Chairman of the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Findley is a graduate of Knox College.


Name: Donald Wayne Dunn

Position: Board Member – Prisoner Review Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Donald Wayne Dunn to the Prisoner Review Board. Dunn brings more than 45 years of experience in counseling to the position.

Most recently, Dunn served as a Mental Health Administrator with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, working out of the Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg where he oversaw a staff of 20. In this role, he supervised the substance abuse program, the sex offender program, the post-incarceration program, and conflict resolution and anger management.

Prior to his work with the IDJJ, Dunn was the Director of Guidance and Counseling at Vienna High School for 25 years. He established a peer mediation program, established individualized career plans for all students, established the career guidance center and coordinated services for special needs children, among many other duties.

Dunn also worked as a District Guidance Counselor and Work Coordinator at Dongola Unit School, as a guidance counselor at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School, and as a Neighborhood Youth Corp Counselor at the Shawnee Development Council.

Dunn holds a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University in education. He also earned his master’s degree from Southern Illinois University in guidance and educational psychology. Dunn lives in Cypress.

Name: Peter Fisher

Position: Board Member - Prisoner Review Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Peter Fisher to the Prisoner Review Board. Fisher brings 35 years of experience in law enforcement to the board.

Currently, Fisher is the Chief of Police at the Creve Coeur Police Department. He joined the department in 2010 and oversees the department’s daily operations.

From 1980 to 2009, Fisher was a member of the East Peoria Police Department. He rose through the ranks to Deputy Chief of Police. In this position he was the commander of the operations division and oversaw patrol, the K-9 unit, scheduling and internal affairs.

Fisher attended Illinois Central College and is a resident of East Peoria.

Name: Vonetta Harris

Position: Board Member – Prisoner Review Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Vonetta Harris to the Prisoner Review Board. She joined the board in September 2013.

Harris began her career as a social worker for Gateway Outpatient Health Clinic and a Crisis Hotline Intervention Specialist for Call For Help: providing assessments and interventions for the dually-diagnosed, as well as, alcohol and substance abusers. She then transitioned her career from social work to education targeting displaced families and at-risk youth. Harris has served as an educational counseling specialist, program coordinator, and a director, organizing specific programs to delineate the stigma of low-income, first-generation youth and the rate of recidivism amongst juveniles.

Harris is an active board member for Call for Help, Inc., and a Planning Commissioner for the City of East St. Louis promoting community resources and job opportunities.

Harris earned a bachelor's degree in social work and a master’s degree in public administration from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She also holds a master’s degree in education administration from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.

Name: Daryl Jones

Position: Board Member – Prisoner Review Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Daryl Jones to serve on the Prisoner Review Board. Jones is a veteran and brings 10 years of legal experience to the board.

Jones currently works for the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) as the Senior Legal Adviser and Agency Ethics Officer. He reviews court-ordered sentences to ensure legal compliance and provides legal advice to departmental personnel. He also worked as the Chief of Intergovernmental Relations at the IDOC and worked closely with local, state and federal officials on constituent-related concerns and legislative initiatives.

Prior to his work at the IDOC, Jones was an Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook County for seven years. He handled felony and misdemeanor trials for adults and juveniles.

Jones is a veteran, serving in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Sergeant. He was awarded two United States Embassy special duty assignments and named battalion “Marine of the Quarter.”

Jones graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication and a Bachelor of Science in career and organizational studies. He earned his law degree from Southern Illinois University. Jones is a resident of Chicago.

Name: Adam Monreal

Position: Board Member – Prisoner Review Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Adam Monreal to the Prisoner Review Board. He was first appointed in 2010.

Monreal began his legal career as an Assistant State's Attorney for Cook County. Later he became the Assistant to the Mayor for Public Safety of the City of Chicago, where he was the liaison from the Mayor's Office to all City of Chicago departments for public safety related matters. After leaving the Mayor's Office, Monreal was a trusts, estates and real estate attorney. In February 2010, he became the supervisor of the Workers' Compensation Fraud Unit for the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Monreal received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1990 from Loyola University of Chicago and his law degree from Northern Illinois University College of Law in 1994.

Name: Aurthur Mae Perkins

Position: Board Member – Prisoner Review Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Aurthur Mae Perkins, 75, to the Prisoner Review Board. She brings more than 30 years of experience as an educator and administrator to the position.

Perkins began working as a Pre-K and kindergarten teacher in Peoria Public Schools in 1983. She eventually became principal of Harrison Primary School in 1993. Under her leadership, her students had some of the highest reading, writing and math scores among Peoria Title I schools. She has been recognized by the Illinois State Board of Education for her accomplishments as an educator.

Perkins is very active in her community, working for the Peoria Housing Authority. She also worked for the Peoria Public Library Board.

Perkins is a graduate of Bradley University, earning her bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree in education administration. She lives in Peoria.

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Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

Name: Elizabeth Robb

Position: Chairman – Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected former Chief Circuit Judge (11th Circuit) Elizabeth Robb to become the chairman of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA). She brings more than 30 years of legal experience to the ICJIA.

Robb served as a trial judge for 22 years on the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois, and was the Chief Judge from 2004-2014. In that role, in addition to presiding over trials, she had administrative responsibility for the 20 judges in the court, oversaw court reporters, probation officers and other court staff.

Prior to becoming a judge, Robb was an attorney at Reynard & Robb Law Offices (1982-1987) and the Robb Law Office (1987-1993).

Robb earned her bachelor’s degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and her law degree from Loyola University of Chicago. She lives in Normal.

Name: Paula Wolff

Position: Board Member – Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Paula Wolff to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. Wolff has focused much of her career on justice policy.

Wolff is currently the Director of the Illinois Justice Project, which is a civic organization that works to reform the criminal justice system. She is responsible for research and policy development and seeing through its implementation. From 2000-2014, Wolff led the Justice and Violence Group of Metropolis Strategies, which was the predecessor to the Illinois Justice Project.

From 1992 to 2000, Wolff served as President of Governors State University. She was responsible for the management of the university, oversaw faculty, students, the budget and strategic direction. During her tenure, enrollment grew by 22 percent to more than 9,000 students.

Wolff also worked for former Governor James Thompson as the Director of Policy and Planning. She directed development and implemented policy at all levels of Illinois state government. She also worked for former Governor Richard Ogilvie.

Wolff earned her bachelor’s degree from Smith College and has her master’s degree and doctorate in political science from the University of Chicago. She lives in Chicago.

Illinois Employment Security Board of Review

Name: Jack L. Calabro

Position: Chairman - Employment Security Board of Review


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Jack L. Calabro, 73, as the Chairman of the Illinois Employment Security Board of Review. Calabro is the President and founder of Encore Partners, which focuses on change management and labor relations consulting.

Calabro previously worked at DeVry Inc. where he was the Corporate Vice President of Human Resources. There he led change management initiatives and oversaw acquisitions. His other human resources experience includes City Colleges of Chicago, Executive Synergies, Inc., Helene Curtis Industries, Inc., and Maremont Corporation.

Calabro earned his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from City University of New York, and he holds a master’s degree in business management from the University of Illinois. Calabro lives in Chicago.

Name: Raymond Nice

Position: Member – Employment Security Board of Review


Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Raymond Nice to the Employment Security Board of Review. Nice has served on the Board since December of 2013.

Nice is a career public servant, retiring as Deputy Recorder of Deeds for Cook County in 2011. He is a lifelong resident of Chicago.

Nice earned his bachelor’s degree in accountancy from DePaul University in 1978.

Name: Nicholas Elias Panomitros

Position: Employment Security Board of Review


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Nicholas Elias Panomitros, 50, to the Illinois Employment Security Board of Review. Panomitros is a doctor of dental surgery and owner of Chicago All Care Dental Group.

Along with his dental practice, Panomitros is an adjunct professor of political science at Harper College. He has also worked as a clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois, College of Dentistry. Panomitros has previously served on the Illinois Health Information Exchange Authority.
Panomitros received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois and graduated from the University of Illinois, School of Dentistry in 1989. He received his law degree from John Marshall Law School in 2010. Panomitros lives in Chicago.

Name: Henry Winfield

Position: Employment Security Board of Review


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Henry Winfield, 62, to the Illinois Employment Security Board of Review.

Winfield spent his 30 year career at the Illinois Department of Revenue where he was the Special Agent Supervisor of criminal investigations. His tasks included preparing comprehensive investigative reports, testifying at criminal trials and coordinating joining investigations with other agencies. He was instrumental in establishing training programs for special agents and supervised their implementation. Winfield retired in 2005.

Winfield earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and his master’s degree in criminal justice from Chicago State University. Winfield lives in Lansing.

Name: Michael James Woodward

Position: Employment Security Board of Review

Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Michael James Woodward, 63, to the Illinois Employment Security Board of Review. Woodward brings more than 20 years of experience in the public sector to the position.

Currently, Woodward is the managing partner of Woodward Group, Inc., where he has worked since 2005. His firm specializes in traffic, real estate and probate matters.

Prior to that, Woodward was elected as the City Clerk and Secretary of the Public Board of Health for the City of Berwyn from 2001 to 2005. He served as Director of Community Development for the City of Berwyn, Assistant Attorney General at the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, City Attorney for the City of Berwyn and numerous positions with the Illinois Secretary of State.

Woodward earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Saint Joseph’s College, and he holds a law degree from John Marshall Law School. Woodward lives in Berwyn.

Illinois Pollution Control Board

Name: Gerald Keenan

Position: Illinois Pollution Control Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected Gerald Keenan, 61, to the Illinois Pollution Control Board. He brings years of experience as a regulator, entrepreneur and consultant in the electric, natural gas and telecommunications industries to the position. He also has experience working for the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Keenan is currently the Managing Director of Palmer Bellvue and advises many European utility companies on business in Central America. He focuses on management consultation, project development and evaluation.

Prior to that, Keenan was the lead partner for the energy strategy group at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. He led a group of 80 professionals in the electricity, natural gas and petroleum sectors. Keenan also worked at PwC’s predecessor, Coopers & Lybrand Consulting. He was a partner of the utilities practice, focusing on development and implementation of business, regulatory and financial strategies for utilities, power companies and telecommunications firm.

Keenan earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University. He also holds a master’s degree from the Catholic Theological Union. Keenan lives in Glencoe.

Illinois Labor Relations Board

Name: Michael Coli

Position: Board Member – Illinois Labor Relations Board

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Michael Coli, 62, to the Illinois Labor Relations Board. Coli has served on this board since 2006.

Coli previously served as Trustee and President of the Teamsters Local Union No.727. During his time there, Coli negotiated contracts, supervised business agents, oversaw grievance and arbitration cases, and handled Labor Board hearings, elections, and changes at a federal and local level.

He has been an active member of many boards and committees including the Parking Industry Labor Management Committee, Turnberry Country Club and the Racing Industry Charitable Foundation.

Name: John R. Samolis

Position: Board Member – Illinois Labor Relations Board


Governor Bruce Rauner has selected John R. Samolis, 68, to the Illinois Labor Relations Board. Samolis brings over 30 years of human resources experience to the board.

Samolis is currently the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Exelon. His duties include employee and labor relations, talent management and labor strategy. Previously, Samolis spent 18 years with United Airlines where he ultimately served as Vice President, Labor Relations and Vice President, People Services. He was responsible for interactions between the company and the unions that represented more than 55,000 employees. He was also responsible for oversight of employment, diversity, international personnel and training for employees nationwide.

Samolis earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from John Carroll University.

[Catherine Kelly, Office of the Governor Bruce Rauner/LDN]

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