Ryan Names State Government Accountability Council

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today named Ed Noha to chair the state's Government Accountability Council which is designed to provide a comprehensive, statewide performance review of key issues involving executive agencies, programs, laws and regulations.

"During the past few weeks, the needs of Illinois' infrastructure were debated across the state, and with the passage of 'Illinois FIRST' the citizens of Illinois will have better schools, a healthier environment and a transportation network that will meet the needs of both families and commerce," Ryan said. "But, it is not enough to address the physical infrastructure of our state. We must also ensure that the agencies and institutions of the executive branch are able to meet the challenges of the next millennium."

The "State Government Accountability Council," created as a part of Executive Order 7 signed by Ryan in March, will draw members from other governments, the academic world and the private sector to help state government implement the recommendations of the State's Performance Review and to bring some "real world experience" to the effort.

The council will also work to improve statewide government operations and reduce the regulatory burden borne by Illinois' business community.

Lieutenant Governor Corinne Wood, who as Council Coordinator, will work to maintain a strong link between state government and the private sector to ensure the success of the initiative. Her role will include coordinating the executive agency response to issues raised during Council deliberations.

"When you consider the pace of change in technology, business practices and human relationships, you can understand that a public-private partnership effort to review state government operations is long overdue," said chairman of the State Government Accountability Council Ed Noha. "The creation of this council is an opportunity for the private sector to make constructive recommendations and help implement positive change. More importantly, it is a mandate from a governor who is willing to listen and open to a partnership with a supportive private sector willing to devote time and resources in the pursuit of productive improvements in the delivery of government services."

The Performance Review will examine each agency program to determine whether the program could be performed more efficiently, merged with other programs, privatized or eliminated.

"Taxpayers demand--and deserve--a higher level of service from government today," said Gary Locke, elected governor of Washington state in 1996. "In Washington, we are responding to the demand with a quality improvement program that saved $49 million through efficiencies, generated an additional $18 million dollars in revenue by working smarter, and saved over 430,000 staff hours in its first year and half of operation. Our savings incentive program, which lets agencies keep half of the savings they generate when they underspend their budgets and sends the other half to education, has generated $22 million in savings two years. I salute Governor Ryan's effort. Leadership from the top works."

The Office also will undertake a detailed review of agency regulations to simplify the relationship between the state and business community. Ryan asked that the Performance Review project report preliminary recommendations back to him by the end of the year.

The membership of the Council is attached.

Ed Noha - Chairman of the Board, CNA Financial Corporation
333 South Wabash
Chicago 60685

Dr. James Nowlan - Director, Journalism Fellows Program, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Toulon 61483

Lance Pressl - President, Chicago Civic Federation; former regional director for Philip Morris, USA
243 South Wacker, Suite 850
Chicago 60604

Joseph Gregoire - Senior Vice-President and Manager, Middle Market Lending, National City Bank Michigan/Illinois
2021 Spring Road, Suite 600
Oak Brook 60523

Robert Liuzzi - President and CEO of CF Industries, Inc.
1 Salem Lake Drive
Lake Zurich 60047

Lloyd Dean - Chief Operating Officer, Advocate Health Care
2025 Windsor Drive
Oak Brook 60523

Mike George - Director, McKenzie & Company's Chicago Office
One First National Bank Plaza, Suite 2900
Chicago 60603

Kent Bowlby - President, Illinois State Employee Association (ISEA)
203 College Avenue
Lincoln 62656

J. Thomas Johnson - Chair, Illinois Gaming Board, Partner KPMG, Chicago
KPMG
303 East Wacker
Chicago 60601

Dr. Don Haider - Professor of Management, Director for Program Non-Profit Management, Kellogg Graduate School of Management
Northwestern University
2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston 60208

William Abramowitz - Vice-President, Aetna Retirement Services
2525 Cabot Drive, Suite 300
Lisle 60532

Bill Holmes - Partner, Freeborn and Peters
Freeborn & Peters
Suite 3000
311 So. Wacker Chicago 60606

Douglas L. Whitley - President, Ameritech Illinois
225 West Randolph, HQ 30A
Chicago 60606

Gila J. Bronner - President, Bronner Group, Inc.
401 East Ontario, Suite 4202
Chicago 60611

Merlin Karlock - President and Chairman of the Board, Municipal Trust and Savings Bank, Bourbonnais
PO Box 146
Bourbonnais 60914

Dr. Michael Ayers - Director of Grants and Projects, Office of Business and Management and Professor of Economics at the University of Illinois - Springfield
Shepherd Road
Springfield 62707

Janet Froetscher - Executive Director, Financial Research and Advisory Committee (FRAC)
One First National Plaza, Suite 3120
Chicago 60603-2006

Jeremiah Marsh - Chairman, Hopkins and Sutter
70 West Madison
43rd Floor
Chicago 60603

Frank Beal - Executive Director of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago's Metropolis 2020 Project
Chicago Metropolis 2020 Project
30 West Monroe
Chicago 60637

Stephen M. Singer - Chairman, Illinois State Chamber of Commerce, Partner, Anderson Consulting
Anderson Consulting
161 North Clark
Chicago 60601

Jack Webster - Retired Chairman, Webster /Hoff, Inc.
704 East Fullerton Avenue
Glendale Heights 60139

Pete Lardner - President of Bituminous Insurance Company
320 18th Street
Rock Island 61201

Dr. James Banovetz - Retired head of Northern Illinois MPA program
Northern Illinois University
De Kalb 60115

Gary McDougal - Director, United Parcel Service; Chicago
505 N. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago 60611

David E. Baker - Vice-President for External Relations, Illinois Institute of Technology
Room 223 Perlstein Hall
10 West 33rd Street
Chicago 60616-3793

Felicia Norwood - General Manager of Illinois Sales, Aetna U.S. Health Care
100 North Riverside Plaza
20th Floor
Chicago 60606