Governor Quinn Announces Executive Appointments

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today made a number of key appointments to the state's boards and commissions. Included in today's action is the appointment of James Conway, Associate Chief of the Criminal Division for the United States Attorney's Office, as the Chief Administrative Law Judge to the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal. This announcement continues the Governor's commitment to making Illinois government more accountable, transparent and effective.

"The experienced and capable individuals appointed today are committed to serving the people of Illinois on our state boards and commissions," Governor Quinn said. "It is critical these positions are filled with our best and brightest citizens, and I am confident they will make our state an even better place to live and work."

The Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal gives Illinois taxpayers the ability to challenge state tax assessments before paying a disputed tax in a hearing. As a forum independent of the Illinois Department of Revenue, the tribunal is presided over by administrative law judges and James Conway will fill the role of Chief Administrative Law Judge. During his tenure at the United States Attorney's Office, Mr. Conway led the Financial Crimes section for four years and was the Acting U.S. Attorney for criminal tax matters.

"Taxpayers deserve a fair opportunity at resolving any tax dispute they may have and the independent tax tribunal will do just that," Governor Quinn said. "James Conway's experience and qualifications make him an excellent choice as the leader of the tribunal and he is committed to serving the people of Illinois."

Conway, of Wilmette, is currently the Associate Chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Chicago. He has been a federal prosecutor for 29 years and a supervisor for the last 17 years. Prior to his position as an Assistant United States Attorney, Mr. Conway was a Revenue Agent with the Internal Revenue Service's Examination Division in Chicago. In addition to being an attorney, he received a B.A. from Loyola University, a J.D. from The John Marshal Law School, an LL.M. in Taxation from DePaul University and he is a Certified Public Accountant.

Additional appointments made today by the Governor include:

Commission on the Elimination of Poverty:

Gayle Nelson of Glenview has been an Arbitrator with Cook County Mandatory Arbitration for the past eight years and is a board member of The Harbour, Inc. She was formerly Executive Director of Chicago Legal Advocacy for Incarcerated Mothers. She holds a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law and a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin.

Commission on Environmental Justice:

Tamika Gibson of Chicago is Policy & Outreach Coordinator at the Illinois Environmental Council. She holds a B.S. in Geography & Environmental Resources from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Workforce Investment Board:

Justine Hood of Glenview is Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Centerpoint Properties Trust. She holds an MBA from Loyola University and a B.S. from James Madison University.

For more information on all of the state's boards and commissions, or to apply to serve on a board, please visit Appointments.Illinois.gov.