A longtime Homewood village manager will take his skills to Crest Hill for a job he said will offer him new opportunities and challenges.
Crest Hill announced it will appoint Jim Marino as the city administrator. Marino’s contract there is tied, by Crest Hill ordinance, to the term of Mayor Raymond Soliman, which lasts until May 2025.
“He’s here for the long-term,” Soliman said. “I think he’s going to be a great fit for us for many years to come.”
Marino has worked 22 years for Homewood and has lived there since he started. He began in 1999 as assistant village manager, and was promoted to village manager in 2012. He called leaving a “bittersweet” decision.
“I’m going to miss the community very much,” Marino said. “I’ve developed a lot of good relationships with the staff, of course, and residents and businesses. It’s not an easy decision to move on, but it’s the right time for me and a good opportunity.”
Marino said he is happy with what he has accomplished in Homewood.
“The village is in a good position to move forward,” he said. “It’s just an opportunity for me to move on and experience some new challenges.”
Marino previously worked for two years as village administrator for Thornton. Soliman said those south suburban roots and experience were attractive to Crest Hill. Marino stood out in a national recruitment effort after Crest Hill’s prior administrator accepted a job in St. Charles, Soliman said.
“He was very impressive in his two interviews that we had with him,” Soliman said. “He certainly was the top candidate, in my opinion.”
The city’s demographics and population, estimated at roughly 20,000, are similar to those of Homewood, Soliman said.
“I think he is going to be a natural fit, and he is going to move us in the right direction and improve the quality of life for all of our residents,” Soliman said.
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Marino’s last day with Homewood is Dec. 17. Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld, who said Marino informed him about the new job a few weeks ago, called him a very good manager who brought leadership and a great eye for financial analysis of projects.
“We were very fortunate to have Jim as our manager as long as we have,” Hofeld said.
Hofeld recently announced Napoleon Hanley will be Homewood’s next village manager. Hanley was assistant village manager in Homewood starting in 2017, and left in October to become village administrator in Olympia Fields.
“He’s seen all the different operations of the village,” Hofeld said. “He’s well liked, and it will be a seamless transition.”
Marino agreed.
“He’s very familiar with the community, our organization, our operations. He’s worked well with staff. I think he should do fine,” Marino said.
Marino said he is proudest of his work in economic development, having made a concerted effort to bring in businesses, retain businesses and drive new development. He cited new business on Halsted and a mixed-use development downtown happening right now, with the erection of the Hartford building where the Triumph Building was demolished in recent months.
“We’ve taken an assertive stance on purchasing vacant properties in our downtown for redevelopment, and we’ve been able to turn those over for new developments and businesses,” Marino said.
Marino said Crest Hill offers him some new opportunities and challenges.
“They’re in a good position for having some new economic development, which I enjoy working on,” Marino said. “They have some vacant property they’re looking to develop, so I would look forward to helping them bring in some new businesses and economic development.”
Marino’s starting salary in Crest Hill is $180,000, according to Soliman. Per Homewood documents, Marino was making $156,190 there before benefits.
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown