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Turnover in governor's cabinet

Personnel changes in Gov. James R. Thompson's cabinet continued as inauguration day approached. Theodore Puckorius, director of the Department of Administrative Services, Charles Kocoras, chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, and Tyrone Fahner, director of Law Enforcement, announced in November they would resign to enter the private sector. Better pay and career opportunities seemed to be a big factor in their decisions. Then in December the governor relieved Department of Corrections director Charles Rowe and Children and Family Services director Margaret Kennedy of their duties. Both agencies had received bad publicity when longstanding problems, stemming in part from underfunding, intensified during the last two years. In an interview Rowe accused the governor of not communicating with him adequately during his tenure as director, while Thompson indicated he wanted more delegation of authority in the department. Thompson asked Rowe to continue in the department in another position.

New cabinet-level appointments include: Gregory Coler, Rexford, N.Y., as director of the Department of Children and Family Services by Gov. James R. Thompson effective January 29, pending Senate confirmation. Coler was associate commissioner, division of services, New York State Department of Social Services. Coler, who has experience lobbying for children's agencies in Washington, D.C., places a high priority on getting more federal money for Illinois. He replaced Margaret Kennedy who was appointed by Thompson in 1977. Kennedy's career with state social service agencies began in 1946.

Gayle M. Franzen, Springfield, as director, Department of Corrections (DOC), by the governor effective December 28, pending Senate confirmation. Franzen had been Thompson's special assistant on criminal justice and corrections since 1977 and had also worked with Thompson in the Illinois attorney general's office. From 1974 until 1977 he was director of corrections for the Tacoma, Wash., area. He replaced Charles Rowe, Springfield, who was fired by Gov. Thompson December 28. Said to be highly regarded by prison experts and reform groups, Rowe joined the DOC in 1963 and was named director by former Gov. Daniel Walker in 1976. He was reappointed to that post by Gov. Thompson in 1977.

Vincent A. Toolen, Jr., Springfield, as director, Department of Administrative Services, by the governor, effective December 6 pending Senate confirmation. Deputy director of the department since 1977, Toolen has also been a management consultant and worked in the Secretary of State's Office from 1971 to 1972. He replaced Theodore Puckorius who resigned to take a post with a construction firm in Saudi Arabia.

Daniel K. Webb, Chicago, as director of the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE), by the governor effective in January, pending Senate confirmation. Webb replaced Tyrone Fahner who resigned to return to private law practice. Webb had a special 45-day assignment with the Department of Registration and Education to investigate medicaid fraud in abortion clinics prior to assuming his position as DLE director. Webb was, like Fahner, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Illinois during the time Thompson was U.S. attorney. He also has been in private law practice with a Chicago firm.

C. Burton Nelson, Rockford, as acting director of the Illinois Commerce Commission by the governor effective January 6. Nelson replaced Charles P. Kocoras who resigned to enter private law practice in Chicago. Nelson, who has been a commissioner since 1969, will maintain responsibilities as chairman until a permanent chairman is appointed. He is president of Mid-America Regulatory Commissioners, chairman of the Water Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and a member of the Board of Directors of Northern Illinois University Foundation.

Merit selection of judges

The Committee on Courts and Justice has begun a second drive to put a proposed constitutional amendment for merit selection of judges on the general election ballot in 1980. The proposed amendment passed the House Executive Committee in April but failed to get enough votes in the House.

By organizing local committees in key legislative districts they hope to demonstrate to legislators that there is strong support for merit selection in their home districts.

Chairman of the Committee's Project Merit Selection of Judges is George A. Ranney, Sr., Libertyville, retired vice president of Inland Steel Coal Company. Co-Chairmen are Chester T. Kamin, Chicago, and Jeffrey R. Ladd, Woodstock, both attorneys. Kamin was a special counsel to former Gov. Daniel Walker and in 1962 was a community organizer for the Committee for Modern Courts. Ladd was a delegate to the Illinois Constitutional Convention and a I campaign manager for George W. Lind-I berg in his 1972 race for comptroller.

Appointments

James M. Skelton, Champaign, as assistant director of the Department of Insurance by the governor effective December 22. His new job involves consumer protection and rate structure. Skelton, who lost the race for state treasurer to Democrat Jerome Cosentino, had been Champaign County treasurer since 1970. He replaced Michael Hasten whotook a leave of absence to work on implementing recommendations made by the governor's Cost Control Task Force.

Michael P. Lane, Springfield, as assistant director for the adult division of the Department of Corrections (DOC) by the governor effective January 2, pending Senate confirmation. The post had been vacant since 1973. Wardens at the state's 10 adult correctional facilities will report,. directly to Lane. Lane was warden at the Menard Correctional Center which is presently headed by former assistant warden Jim Greer. In addition, DOC director Franzen named Dennis W. Hartman, Chester, as acting assistant warden at Menard. Previously Hartman was chief of security.

Tom Massey, Springfield, as Statehouse press secretary by Secy, of State Alan Dixon effective January 2. Massey, assistant press secretary in the Capitol Press Room for the last five years, replaced Shelby Vasconcelles who retired in December.

Scott Shearer, Springfield, as director of vehicle services, Office of the Secretary of State, by Secy, of State Dixon effective December 16. Shearer was chief financial officer in the state treasurer's office and was recently a delegate to the Democratic National Conference in Memphis. He replaced Loren Barber who was appointed director of the office's new division of current records and statistics.

Charles E. Schmidt, Jr., Barrington Hills, as chairman of the Illinois Racing Board by the governor effective December 8. Schmidt was appointed as a member of the board in June 1977. He replaced Lucy Reum, Oak Park, who resigned last August.

William A. Klusak, Sugar Grove, as a member of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Advisory Council by the governor effective October 17. Klusak, sheriff of Kane County, was appointed to the unsalaried post for an unspecified term.

Judge Gordon D. Seator, Jacksonville, as circuit judge of Morgan County by the Illinois Supreme Court effective January 1, Seator temporarily fills a vacancy in the 7th Judicial Circuit created by the retirement of Judge John Wright. Seator, formerly an associate judge of the 7th Circuit Court District, will serve the interim appointment until the 1980 election.

David E. Elder, Petersburg, as executive director of the Illinois School Problems, Commission effective November 16. Elder is

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on leave of absence until July from the directorship of the Senate minority education staff to fill the commission's first full-time executive position.

Leon M. Lederman, Dobbs Ferry, New York, as director of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, effective June 1, 1979. He will replace the founding director, Robert R. Wilson who resigned over funding matters. Lederman is a professor of physics at Columbia University and director of Nevis Laboratories in Irvington, N.Y. He is internationally known in high energy physics.

Ellen Schanzle-Haskins, Springfield, as assistant U.S. attorney for the southern district of Illinois by Gerald Fines, U.S. attorney for the southern district effective November 27. Schanzle-Haskins was assistant director and legal counsel for the Illinois Board of Regents.

Mitchell P. Kartalia, Park Ridge, as chairman of the board of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association effective November 7. Other newly elected officers are John A. Lawrence, Sterling, as vice chairman, and William C. Croft, Broadview, as treasurer. Five new directors were also elected. They are: Lyle A. Anderson, president, Autotrol Corporation, Crystal Lake; Calvin A. Campbell, Jr., president, Goodman Equipment Corporation, Chicago; Richard W. Hansen, president, Furnas Electric Company, Batavia; Dean W. Stoner, chairman, Kewanee Boiler Corporation, Kewanee; A. J. Wysocki, president, American Spring and Wire Specialty Company, Chicago, and Laurence Fuller, president, Amoco Oil Company, Chicago, to fill an unexpired term.

William H. Luking, Chicago, as chairman of the Committee on Illinois Government effective in December. The committee is an independent citizens' group interested in government reform. Luking replaced former state Rep. Michael S. Holewinski who stepped down to campaign full-time for alderman of Chicago's 45th Ward. Luking is a partner in the Chicago law firm of Ross, Hardies, O'Keefe, Babcock and Parsons.

Clive M. Topol, Springfield, as associate legislative counsel for the department of legislative affairs, Illinois State Bar Association by executive director John Dickason effective November 1. Topol had been assistant counsel for the last two years. The new department will handle state legislative matters for the bar association's 22,000 members.

Resignations

William H. Peltier, Evanston, as chairman of the Illinois Lottery Control Board effective December 11. Peltier was appointed by Gov. Thompson in January 1977. He resigned to take a job with a Cincinnati advertising firm.

Arven H. Saunders, Edwardsville, as director of aeronautics, Department of Transportation, effective February 16. Saunders, who was appointed transportation secretary by John Kramer, resigned to become an airport management consultant to the Saudi Arabian government.

Hiram L. Lesar, Carbondale, as founding dean of the Southern Illinois University Law School at Carbondale effective in August 1979. Lesar will return to teaching. Prior to the opening of SIU Law School in 1973, Lesar was dean of the Law School at Washington University, St. Louis. SIU plans to name a new dean by August.

Deaths

Former Rep. Wilbur H. Lauterbach, on December 23 in Bartonville. A Republican from the 46th District, Lauterbach was elected for three terms beginning in 1967. He served as mayor of Bartonville from 1945-61.

Honors

Rep. Paul Findley (R., Pittsfield) as Honorary Chairman of Illinois Nutrition Advocacy Campaign by the board of directors of the Illinois Association of Community Action agencies October 18.

James Jeffers, Springfield, director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, was given the P. J. Trevethan Award for Excellence in Management by the Ray Graham Association for the Handicapped in December. The award was presented by William Gellman of DePaul University, last year's recipient of the award.

Consumers to get assistance on utility rate hearings

A Consumer's Coordination Council was formed within the Illinois Office of Consumer Services, and Governor's Office of Manpower and Human Development (GOMHD) and six of the nine members were appointed in September by Robert P. Goss, GOMHD director. The councii will assist consumer groups concerned with electric and natural gas rate increases before regulatory commissions such as the Illinois Commerce Commission. Appointed to the unsalaried positions were: Eric Canada, Waukegan. Illinois State Chamber of Commerce; Malcolm Chester, Lake Bluff, Illinois Manufacturers Association; Edwin Crego, Chicago, Illinois State Federation of Labor; H. Brent DeLand, Springfield. Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies; Chris lleaton, Carterville, Illinois Public Action Council, and Irene Norwood. • Chicago, South Austin Coalition Community Council.

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