Governor Announces Appointments

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner announced today he has made appointments to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation and the Business Enterprise Council.

Name: Douglas S. Steffenson
Position: Arbitrator - Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Douglas S. Steffenson an arbitrator for the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. He brings 24 years of legal experience to the commission.

Currently, Steffenson is a partner at Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, P.C. He has been with the firm since 2000. Steffenson formerly served as an attorney at Crowley, Tamillow & Rubin from 1997-2000. He also served as an assistant state's attorney for Cook County from 1991-1997. He has extensive trial and appellate practice in workers' compensation, occupational disease and employer liability law. Steffenson earned his bachelor's degree in journalism and political science from Iowa State University and a law degree from DePaul University. He lives in Wilmette.

Name: Dave Leckrone
Position: Member - Illinois Joining Forces Foundation

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Dave Leckrone to the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation. He brings more than 32 years of military and veteran work experience to the foundation.

Leckrone is a decorated combat veteran, who served as a Colonel for the U.S. Army. He is an Iraqi Freedom War Veteran and has been deployed overseas more than 20 times. He was awarded two bronze star medals for his efforts in combat operations. He is also a former federal senior management official for the Department of Defense.

Currently, Leckrone is a small business owner and consults for Rush University and various non-governmental organizations. Utilizing his strategic resource management background, he provides critical long-range and operational level support for expansion programs focused on combat medical preparedness, warrior resiliency development and humanitarian aid for military operations. Leckrone earned her bachelor's degree in finance and business from Western Illinois University and a master's degree in strategic studies at Army War College. He lives in Springfield.

Name: Emilia DiMenco
Position: Member - Business Enterprise Council

Governor Bruce Rauner has reappointed Emilia DiMenco to the Business Enterprise Council. She brings more than 35 years of business experience to the council.

DiMenco is President and CEO of the Women's Business Development Center (WBDC). She has been in this position since 2013 and previously served as the COO for three years. While with the WBDC she has launched two WBDC microloan programs, has lead an initiative to automate all economic impact monitoring and reporting, and has greatly increased fundraising totals. Prior to her time with the WBDC, DiMenco served as an executive vice president with BMO Harris N.A.

DiMenco is well-known for her contributions to leading civic and professional organizations, including the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago. She has also advised the Chicago Area Chapter of NAWBO on strategy and has served as an adviser to participants in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Chicago. Nationally, she is a leader in Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP), helping the organization develop policies for access to capital for women-owned businesses.

Emilia holds bachelor's degree and master's degree in finance from DePaul University. She lives in Chicago.

Name: Selena Gray Sizemore
Position: Member - Business Enterprise Council

Governor Bruce Rauner has appointed Selena Gray Sizemore to the Business Enterprise Council. She brings more than 15 years of experience to the council.

Sizemore currently serves as the Director of Entrepreneurship for the Chicago Urban League. She is responsible for the overall management of the Urban League's Entrepreneurship Center, which supports community-based investment and growth through facilitating entrepreneurship and business development. She has worked with her team to develop and launch the Midwest Regional Teaming Program (MRTP), the organization's first multi-state entrepreneurship program. Under her leadership, the MRTP has reached more than 60 small business owners across nine states to help form 16 small business teams which have been awarded more than $90 million in federal contracts.

Sizemore began her career in the construction industry with one of the largest African American general contractors in the region. She worked with a wide range of public and private clients. She has also taught Construction Costs & Bidding at Purdue University Calumet and has mentored young people interested in the construction industry.

Sizemore is a graduate of Purdue University Calument. She lives in Chicago.