Governor Appoints Pam McDonough to Labor Relations Board

CHICAGO -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced the appointment of Pam McDonough as the chairman of the Local Panel of the Illinois Labor Relations Board. The appointment is effective November 21, 2002, and requires confirmation by the Illinois State Senate. The term of the appointment runs to January 24, 2005.

"Pam has done an outstanding job as director of the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA)," Governor Ryan said. "Thanks in large part to her efforts, Illinois was ranked as the top state in the nation for economic development by Site Selection magazine last year. I know she will bring her passion and commitment to public service to the Labor Relations Board."

During McDonough's tenure at DCCA, she was the point person for the Governor's widely praised economic development achievements. Those wins include Boeing Company's world headquarters in Chicago, a new Ford Motor Company supplier park in Chicago, a new training center for ATA at Chicago's Midway Airport, the reuse of the Joliet Arsenal into the world's largest intermodal rail facility, and the BIO 2006 International Biotechnology Conference.

"Over the years, I've worked with Pam on Project Labor Agreements at the Capital Development Board, on the McCormick Place expansion, and most recently on the successful negotiations that averted the Chicago hotel strike. I know she will perform at the Labor Relations Board with the same fairness and success," said Dennis Gannon, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor.

Last month, McDonough was honored with the 2002 Motorola Excellence in Public Service Award and she was recently inducted into the Today's Chicago Woman Hall of Fame.

"It has been an honor to serve the people of Illinois throughout the past three decades. With the vision of Governor Ryan's Illinois FIRST, VentureTech and EDGE tax credit programs, our economic development successes have been widely recognized. I look forward to continuing my career in public service at the Labor Relations Board," said McDonough.

"As DCCA director, I've always promoted Illinois workers as our greatest asset when it comes to attracting new business. It is my hope that my new position will enable me to ensure that labor and management continue to work in harmony for the good of our economy."

Governor Ryan also announced the appointment of Joseph Hannon as acting director of DCCA. Hannon served as the managing director of DCCA's Illinois Trade Office. In that position he organized the historic humanitarian visits to Cuba, and successful trade missions to Mexico and South Africa.

"Governor Ryan and Pam McDonough have been the most dynamic one-two punch in economic development in the state's history," said Hannon. "My efforts will be focused on carrying out that legacy with the assistance of the gifted professional team that Pam has put in place."