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player ready...With a new village manager who started work Jan. 3, Oak Brook now is working to find new police and fire chiefs, along with a new finance director.
Village President Gopal Lalmalani said he believes it’s nothing more than coincidence that the three administrators all left their jobs within about seven months of each other, and that the previous village manager left about nine months ago.
“There’s been no problem that I know of,” he said. “We’re very grateful for the service of those who have now left Oak Brook, and I’m excited about bringing in some outstanding new people. Change is always good.”
– Original Credit: Village of Oak Brook
After nearly seven years as village manager, the contract of Rick Ginex, who worked through May 31, 2021, was not renewed. He was replaced by Greg Summers, who started in Oak Brook Jan. 3 after being approved Nov. 29, 2021, for hiring by the Village Board.
Longtime Police Chief James Kruger took over the additional duties as interim village manager after Ginex left, until Summers began work. Kruger’s last day as police chief, after serving in that position for more than 10 years, was Dec. 29. He took a job in February as police chief in East Dundee.
Previous Fire Chief Barry Liss resigned, effective Aug. 13, following seven years of service to Oak Brook. Finance Director Jason Paprocki’s last day of work in the village was March 2. He left to take the same position in his hometown of North Aurora, significantly reducing his commute time.
” (That) effectively frees him to spend more time with his family, which he characterized as the most valuable attribute to him,” Summers said.
Summers said Interim Fire Chief James Arie, a former Barrington fire chief, recently was contracted with for an additional 90 days, while village officials continue to evaluate the best possible long-term solution.
John Krull, a former Olympia Fields police chief and Riverside deputy chief, has been working as interim chief in Oak Brook.
Summers said that recruitment for a new police is underway with the village’s Selection Committee having completed an update of the job description and posting. The position was formally posted March 1 by the Illinois Association of Chiefs.
“The village has already received several applications, with all applications being due by March 28th,” Summers said. “There is already a timeline in place to move rapidly following the receipt of those applications.”
Lalmalani said both Krull and Arie are interested in staying in Oak Brook, without having “interim” as part of their job titles.
“Both are interested in being permanent, and both are candidates,” he said, adding that Krull already has applied for the job as police chief, and Arie has not yet done so for the fire chief’s position.
“As with any workplace, transition in staff is normal and commonplace,” Summers said. “Each and every employee has their own priorities and goals,” he said. “And I fully support matching those attributes to the needs of the community in order to develop a team working in sync to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the constituents of the village, whether they be residents, business, or the guests and shoppers who are visiting Oak Brook.”
Summer said having key positions open enhances his ability to more expeditiously build a team committed to those same values of customer-centric service.