Member Spotlight -

Kathleen Rush,

Village Administrator

In our recurring In Brief spotlight on members who lead by example and help us succeed as a Conference, we are pleased to feature Woodridge Village Administrator Kathleen Rush.

1.  How did you first become involved with DMMC? 

Back in 1985, I was just out of graduate school and in my first real job with Woodridge, I was assigned to prepare an ordinance so we could sell items at the DMMC auction. It was my first exposure to DuPage communities working together for the common good. The auction proved to be reliable, convenient, and a time saver for those involved. It was the first of many times that intergovernmental cooperation worked.

2.  What DMMC committees have you served on? 

My experience with the Executive Board, and the newly created Manager's Committee along with Transportation Technical Committee, Regulatory Issues Committee, Nominating Committee, and Golf Committee have provided a lot of opportunity for collaboration.

3.  What contribution to DMMC are you most proud of?

Woodridge has a long standing tradition of active involvement in DMMC. We see the benefit of acting collectively on a variety of issues, from purchasing to stormwater to planning transportation. The Woodridge staff is represented on almost every committee of DMMC because without participation, you cannot reap maximum benefits. With our involvement we know that we will get a better result through collective action, as we are helping to guide the process.

4.  Why are you so actively involved with DMMC?

There are many activities that Woodridge could undertake in an independent fashion and be effective. For some activities, like lobbying, transportation planning, and stormwater management, where our collective voice is so much stronger and more effective, DMMC gives us that portal.   We are leveraging others' knowledge, connections, and desires to succeed. Woodridge represents a population of 33,000, approximately; as a member of DMMC, I represent over a million DuPage County residents. If we are tackling an issue in Springfield, I like my odds better with DMMC than playing Don Quixote and jousting at windmills by myself.

5.  Do you have any interesting or funny stories to share?

There is always something funny about our trips to Springfield - getting lost in a cornfield on the bus was amusing for about a minute.

6.  Do you have any advice for newer DMMC managers?

Get involved. Get your staff involved and really encourage your elected officials to participate. The DMMC staff is available to help you - reach out and ask for support.

 7.  How has being involved in DMMC helped your town?

Woodridge has been able to establish and foster great relationships with our neighboring communities as a result of our involvement with DMMC. We also know that we have well respected and knowledgeable individuals to help us with Springfield and legislation.

8.  Is there anything else that you would like to share?

DMMC is a great investment for our community. The investment accrues interest through the involvement of each and every member. I encourage participation at the Board dinner meetings as well as through committees. 

Photo Caption: (From left) ICPA President David Ratkovich, Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel and Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall.

Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel received the Citizen of the Year award from the Illinois Crime Prevention Association (ICPA) at its Chief's Appreciation and Awards Luncheon held  in Wheaton. Awards are given to individuals or groups that have proven crime prevention commitment and service to their communities.

Mayor Pradel was nominated by Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall for the Citizen of the Year award. In Marshall's nomination, he mentioned Mayor Pradel's 48 years of service to the community, his history as "Officer Friendly" visiting schools to educate children on safety, his work with Safety Town and his overall support of crime prevention initiatives. These include the Crime Prevention Calendar, National Night Out, the Public Safety Open House, Crime Prevention month activities, Community Radio Watch and Crime Stoppers.

DMMC Welcomes New Managers Riccardo Ginex, Oak Brook

Mr. Ginex has over 28 years of professional local government executive experience. He served the Village of Downers Grove first as a police officer, moving up the ranks to become Police Chief, then from 2001 to 2005 as Village Manager. Mr. Ginex came to Oak Brook from the Village of Brookfield where he has served as the Village Manager since 2005. He has a Master of Science - Management from National Louis University, as well as a Bachelor of Criminal Justice from Lewis University, and is an active member in a number of professional organizations. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, 176th Session, and a graduate of the School of Police Staff and Command, 28th Class, from the Northwestern Traffic Institute. He was also instrumental in the establishment of the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at the College of DuPage and currently serves on their Advisory Council. He is a Credentialed Manager through the International City/County Management Association.

Stephen May, Westmont

Mr. May graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago with both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He was hired by the Village of Westmont in 1986 and eventually promoted to the role of Assistant Village Engineer. In 2000, Mr. May took the Village Engineer position with the Village of Lemont. Mr. May returned to Westmont in 2003 to take on the role of Director of Public Works. In addition, he served as the Assistant Village Manager for the past year.

Pietro Scalera, Bloomingdale 

Mr. Scalera, his wife Angela, a lifelong Bloomingdale resident, along with their sons Giuseppe, 13 and Alessandro, 8, have made their home in Bloomingdale for 10 years. The whole family is very involved in Bloomingdale Soccer and are active members of St. Isidore Church.

The Chicago native has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from DePaul and earned his Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Illinois Chicago. Mr. Scalera had been the Village Manager for Riverside since 2009; prior to that he was the Assistant Administrator in Glencoe.

Mr. Scalera's experiences and accomplishments in both Glencoe and Riverside have prepared him well for the issues and challenges that Bloomingdale will be tackling; among them, the redevelopment of the Lake Street corridor, creation of a continuing economic development program, and the revitalization of the Old Town area.

He is also a Credentialed Manager through the International City/County Management Association and is fluent in Italian.

Congratulations also to Amy Marrero, recently appointed as Oakbrook Terrace's City Administrator! Look for more info in an upcoming issue.  

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