The Superboard
GERY CHICO, President
New partner in the law firm of Sidley and Austin. Formerly Mayor Daley’s chief of staff. In government for over 10 years. Past president of the Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce. Graduate of Kelly High. Two children attend Jamieson Elementary.
GENE SAFFOLD
Director of the Public Finance Division of Smith Barney, Inc. investment firm. Formerly worked for First National Bank and LS Financial Group. Graduate of Harlan High School.
SHARON GIST GILLIAM
Chief operating officer of Unison Consulting Group. Formerly, budget director for Mayor Harold Washington and chief of staff for Mayor Eugene Sawyer. Once taught in the Chicago public schools.
DR. TARIQ BUTT
Director of Mount Sinai Madison Family Health Center on the West Side, a federally funded community health center serving poor residents. Formerly chairman of Mayor Daley’s Asian-American Advisory Council.
NORMAN BOBINS
President and CEO of LaSalle National Bank, which is a partner of Calumet High School. Trustee of DePaul University and director of the Jewish Federation of Chicago.
The Big Chiefs
PAUL VALLAS, Chief Executive Officer
Was budget director and, before that, revenue director for Mayor Daley. Formerly, executive director of the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission and staff member of the Illinois Senate Education Committee. Once was a teacher. Replaces Supt. Argie Johnson and Chief Financial Officer Charley Gillispie. Salary: $150,000.
LYNN ST. JAMES, Chief Education Officer
Chief Education Officer Was co-director of the Chicago Forum for School Change, an affiliate of the national Coalition of Essential Schools. Lifelong career in Chicago public schools. Was principal of Lindblom Technical High School when she took early retirement in 1993. New position. Salary: $140,000.
DIANE MINOR, Chief Purchasing Officer
Chief Purchasing Officer Was deputy purchasing agent for the City of Chicago. Active in minority and women business set-aside program in the administration of Mayor Harold Washington. Replaces Michael Rankins. Salary: $97,000.
BENJAMIN REYES, Chief Operating Officer
Chief Operating Officer Was Commissioner of General Services in the Daley administration. Formerly, Mayor Harold Washington’s liaison to the Economic Development Commission. Graduate of the old Tuley High School. Position was vacant. Salary: $117,000.
KENNETH GOTSCH, Chief Fiscal Officer
Was revenue director in the Daley administration. Worked with Vallas at the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission. Assumes some duties of former Chief Financial Officer Charley Gillispie. Salary: $97,000.
Other Chiefs
COZETTE BUCKNEY
Chief of Staff. For past two years, on leave as principal of Jones Metro High School to oversee the T.I.M.E. Project, a public-private collaboration to re-engineer the bureaucracy. New position. Salary: $97,000.
MARIBETH VANDER WEELE
Director of School and Community Relations. Was education writer for the Chicago Sun-Times. Author of Reclaiming Our Schools: The Struggle for Chicago School Reform. Expanded post, replacing Dawne Simmons. Salary: $93,000.
DAVID AGAZZI
Budget Director. Was deputy budget director for the City of Chicago. Is also a reviewer for the Government Finance Officers Association. Replaces Kevin Byrne.Salary: $93,000.
THOMAS DOYLE
Human Resources Director. Was director of human relations for the Chicago Police Department. Replaces Belkis Santos, who will head the Mayor’s School Partners Program matching corporations with schools. Salary: $104,000.
MARY SUE BARRETT
Board liaison to the Mayor. Was policy chief for Mayor Daley. Before that, deputy director of the mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. New position. Salary: $110,000.
PATRICIA HARVEY
Chief Accountability Officer. Was executive assistant to Supt. Argie Johnson. Formerly, innovative principal of Hefferan Elementary School. New position. Salary: $97,000.
OLIVIA WATKINS
Chief, Professional Development. Was head of staff development for Supt. Argie Johnson. Formerly, special assistant to former Supt. Ted D. Kimbrough. Expanded position. Salary: $85,000.
LULA FORD
Chief Instruction Officer. Was assistant superintendent for funded programs. Formerly, principal of Beethoven Elementary School. Replaces Adrian Beverly. Salary: $85,000.
LEONARD DOMINGUEZ
Chief of Policy. Was deputy mayor for education. Before that, principal of Eli Whitney Elementary School. New position. Salary: $97,000.
ROBERT MARKIN
Chief Attorney. Was a partner at Jenner & Block. Has taught elementary students constitutional law through a program of the Constiutional Rights Foundation. Replaces Patricia Whitten. Salary: $110,000.
Regional Officers
EVA NICKOLICH
Region 1. Was principal of Kennedy High School.
ARMANDO M. ALMENDAREZ
Region 2. Was administrator of the old Subdistrict 5. Formerly, principal of Hedges Elementary.
HAZEL B. STEWARD
Region 3. Was principal of Tilden High School. Formerly, science and mathematics coordinator.
JOSÉ A. RODRIGUEZ
Region 4. Was principal of Juarez High School. Formerly, bilingual program coordinator.
GARLAND CLEGGETT
Region 5. Was principal of the Urban Youth High School. Formerly, a social studies teacher.
POWHATAN COLLINS
Region 6. Was principal of Whitney Young Magnet High School. Formerly, counselor and chemistry teacher.