Names

Turnover at the Illinois Commerce Commission

Craig

Gov. Jim Edgar's appointments of an interim chairman and two new members to the seven-member Illinois Commerce Commission may herald an era of greater openness to consumer concerns. Ellen Craig, 51, of Chicago was named interim chairman of the commission, effective February 13, and will serve until a permanent chairman is named. A commissioner since 1989, her new annual salary is $69,687. Craig replaced Terry Barnich, 38, of Springfield, who will continue as a commission member. His term expires in January 1994. Craig had served on Gov. James R. Thompson's staff since 1978. In 1985 she was named head of his consumer affairs office.

In March, Gov. Edgar named Karl A. McDermott of Homer and David S. Williams Jr. of Chicago to the commission, effective April 1. McDermott replaced Jerry Blakemore of Springfield, and Williams replaced Calvin Manshio of Chicago. Consumer groups had considered Manshio pro utility. McDermott has been president and board chairman of the Center for Regulatory Studies in Normal and an economics instructor at Illinois State University since 1985. He has done research at Argonne National Laboratory on innovative emission controls for electric utilities. Since October Williams has headed the division of public transportation at the Illinois Department of Transportation. Previously he was Chicago's commissioner of public works for four years and its deputy commissioner from 1985 to 1987. McDermott and Williams will serve terms ending January 15, 1996. Their appointments require Senate confirmation; their annual commissioner salaries are $61,530.

Wohn

Caton

Former chairman Barnich had been criticized for phone calls he and other commission members made to utility lawyers and lobbyists during the course of rate cases in 1990. In addition, a series of Illinois Supreme Court rulings have overturned commission rate-setting decisions. In October 1990 the court overturned a plan that would have allowed Illinois Bell Telephone Co. to earn higher profits. In December 1991 it overturned a $750 million rate increase for Commonwealth Edison (see February Illinois Issues, p. 27) and in February stayed another $471 million in ComEd rate increases.

To fill early retirements among commission staff, Executive Director Phil Gonet named Eva-Maria Wohn of Chicago as manager of the division of hearings and orders, effective January 1, and Donna Caton of Springfield as chief clerk, effective January 13. Wohn replaced Steve Clagget, who took early retirement after 28 years with the commission. Caton replaced Rose Clagget (married to Steve) who also took early retirement. Steve had been with the commission for 28 years, Rose for 32.

McDonald and Dombrowski in top DMHDD posts

McDonald

Gov. Jim Edgar appointed two critics of the state's mental health system to high level posts in the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (DMHDD) February 27. Jesse F. McDonald, 50, is the department's new director, and Cathleen J. "CJ" Dombrowski, 33, is its new inspector general, responsible for investigating allegations of patient abuse at state facilities. Edgar cited McDonald's two decades of work on human service issues and Dombrowski's work as an advocate for the mentally ill. Ron Davidson, director of public policy for the Chicago-based Mental Health Association in Illinois, praised the governor's appointments but said, "Ultimately, however, their success or failure will depend on the willingness of the governor and the legislature to give them the resources they need to get the job done."

Dombrowski

McDonald has served as chief of the Bureau of the Budget's health and social services division (1976-83), as Gov. James R. Thompson's staff assistant for human services (1983-90) and from July 1990 until January 1991 as acting director of the Department of Children and Family Services. Most recently he was executive director of the Illinois Association of Community Mental Health Agencies, which represents

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community-based programs for the mentally ill.

Dombrowski has been executive director of the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Illinois since 1988. Affiliated with a national and local organizations, the alliance advocates for the mentally ill and their families.

McDonald succeeded William K. Murphy and Dombrowski succeeded Philip V. Fisher, both of whom took early retirement.

Criminal Justice Information Authority new director

Dennis E. Nowicki, 49, of Joliet was named executive director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority by Gov. Edgar, effective February 11. Nowicki is the former police chief of Joliet and a 25-year veteran of the Chicago police department. He has worked with youths to stop gang crime and drug abuse and served as an adviser to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in Washington, D.C. In his new position, he is responsible for coordinating law enforcement agencies throughout the state, researching crime trends, maintaining criminal data systems, long-range planning and distributing federal funds to state and local law enforcement programs.

Nowicki replaced J. David Coldren, who resigned after criticism of his practice of flying first class rather than coach when he traveled on state business. Coldren traveled first class, which has larger seats, because of his weight and a longstanding back problem. The founding director of the authority, he had been with the Illinois criminal justice system since 1970. Coldren is a two-term president of the National Criminal Justice Association and a founding member of the Law Enforcement Information Management Section of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

DCCA deputy director of business development

Lori Thomas Thompson, 32, of Evanston, was appointed deputy director of the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs' (DCCA) bureau of business development by DCCA Director Jan Grayson effective January 24. Thompson is responsible for administering the bureau's $41.6 million budget and 173 employees. Created in November 1991 by merging DCCA's small business assistance and marketing programs, the bureau consists of five divisions: industry development, regional assistance, international business, loan administration and the Illinois film office.

With DCCA since 1985, Thompson served most recently as the bureau's acting deputy director. She has also been chief of staff, assistant deputy director of marketing, regional mar-

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keting manager and chief of the Chicago office of development finance.

New head for CMS' Minority and Female Business Enterprise

Irene Cualoping, 32, of Arlington Heights, was appointed executive director of the state's Minority and Female Business Enterprise program by its board of directors effective February 1. Administered by the Department of Central Management Services, the program encourages state agencies to use services and to purchase goods from businesses owned by minorities, women and people with disabilities. A graduate of John Marshall Law School and a columnist and photojoumalist for Asian Week, Cualoping is a member of several bar associations and is active in many Asian-American associations. The post pays an annual salary of $50,000.

The Judiciary

The Illinois Supreme Court announced the following appointments.

Reappointed as chairman of the executive committee of the Illinois Judicial Conference was 13th Circuit chief judge, Alexander T. Bower of Ottawa; and as vice chairman, James C. Murray of Chicago, circuit judge assigned to the 1st District Appellate Court. Their terms expire November 30. Reappointed as members of the executive committee were Cook County Circuit Judges Aubrey F. Kaplan and Joseph Schneider, both of Chicago. New members are 2nd District Appellate Court Judge Lawrence D. Inglis of Gurnee, replacing Appellate Judge George W. Unverzagt; and 21st Circuit Judge John F. Michela of Kankakee, replacing Circuit Judge John M. Telleen. All new terms expire November 30, 1994.

The committee assists the Supreme Court in its annual judicial conference, mandated by the Illinois Constitution. Its report is submitted to the General Assembly by January 31.

Cook County Circuit
Chief Judge Harry C. Comerford made two appointments to the juvenile division: Circuit Judge John W. Rogers as supervising judge of the delinquency section and Associate Judge Gary L. Brownfield as supervising judge of the abuse and neglect section. Both reside in Chicago.

16th Circuit
The judges of the circuit appointed James C. Hallock, an Elgin attorney in private practice, as associate judge.

18th Circuit
The judges of the circuit appointed Wheaton attorney Robert J. Anderson as associate judge.

19th Circuit
The judges of the circuit appointed the following as associate judges: Patrick N. Lawler of Libertyville, Margaret J. Mullen of Lake Bluff and Sharon L. Prather and Frank J. Rhode Jr., both of McHenry. Rhode was McHenry County public defender; the others were in private practice.

CTA new director and reorganization

Troubled by financial woes, fare hikes, service cuts and rider outrage, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has a new director. Robert Belcaster, 52, a Chicago real estate developer, was endorsed by Mayor Richard M. Daley and approved for the post of managing director by the CTA board in an 5-1 vote February 3. At a press conference held that same day, Mayor Daley said management skills are Belcaster's "chief asset," and what the CTA needs. The lone dissenter was James Charlton, vice president of Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago and a CTA board member since 1986. He said many of the CTA's problems were caused by the board itself and local politicians.

On February 12, the board unanimously approved a reorganization plan designed to save the CTA as much as $23 million annually and voted to roll back double-digit pay raises previously given to administrative workers. The plan is based on a $300,000 report on the CTA by consulting firms Booz, Allen & Hamilton Inc. and Washington, Pittman and McKeever. The plan calls for eliminating up to 260 of the CTA's 1,500 administrative posts (out of a total of 13,000 employees) — many by early retirement. It also reduces layers of administration, privatizes some departments and changes Belcaster's title to president (his basic job remains the same: chief executive officer of the agency, said a CTA spokesperson).

Belcaster is managing director of Tishman Speyer Properties, which owns or manages over 18 million square feet of real estate nationally (10 million in Chicago). After working in Chicago real estate since 1962, he recently took over the firm's California office. He is a member of the city's Economic Development Commission and a founding member of the Chicago Development Council. Unlike previous directors, Belcaster will work without a contract. He will be paid $120,000 a year, about $33,000 less than the previous director and will not receive pension or other fringe benefits.

Belcaster replaced Alfred Savage, who resigned February 3. Formerly head of the Niagara Frontier Transit System in Buffalo, N.Y., he was hired by the CTA in 1990 after a nationwide

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search. Savage will receive $89,000, which includes severence pay and one month's work helping CTA with the transition, plus $12,750 in vacation pay.

Dunham ends fast

Internationally known dancer Katherine Dunham, 82, of East St. Louis ended a 47-day fast protesting the deportation of Haitian refugees. Thousands of Haitians fled their country after their democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was forced out by a coup. In a statement released March 18 Dunham said she must build up her strength because she hopes to accompany Aristide to Haiti when he is restored to power.

According to the March 18 St. Louis Post Dispatch, 9,445 Haitians had been repatriated as of March 17 by the U.S. Coast Guard, 233 had been taken to other Caribbean countries, 2,716 had been granted political asylum and taken to the United States, and 3,730 (almost all granted political asylum) were still at Guantanamo Air Force Base in Cuba. In a February 20 statement, Amnesty International said it continues to get reports of numerous human rights violations in Haiti, including allegations of abuse against Haitians who were forcibly repatriated.

From the time Dunham began her fast February 1, East St. Louis became the meeting place for marches, vigils, Haitian dances and nonviolent protest. Among her visitors were Aristide, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Carol Moseley Braun.

IMA and NIU create Alliance for Business

In response to demands for quality training for the manufacturing work force, the Illinois Manufacturing Association (IMA) and Northern Illinois University (NIU) announced the formation of an Alliance for Business on December 5. It is touted as the state's first large scale public/private venture in work force training.

The alliance offers an IMA-NIU certification program that enables workers to be recognized by their companies for completing a series of noncredit courses. Funding assistance for companywide training for eligible manufacturers will be offered by the State of Illinois Prairie State 2000 Authority. IMA member companies will also serve as host sites for training programs that offer certification in a variety of management programs, including strategy sessions on Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM, as defined in Businessweek's October 25, 1991, bonus issue, is "the application of quality principles to all company endeavors."

Staff contributors include Margaret S. Knoepfle, Jennifer Smith, Dawn Siefman and F. Mark Siebert

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