Chairman Gerald Jutila resigns as chairman, returns to his former role as an Arbitrator.
Editor’s comment: In a move that surprised his followers and Commission-watchers, former Chairman Jutila reported personal health reasons as the cause for leaving a post he held for just over thirty days. His resignation was immediate. There are at least 12 zillion rumors flying around and we aren’t going to publish any of them. We are confident Arbitrator Jutila will continue to bring his veteran view of the industry to his prior position.
The Chairman’s job pays just over $100K with benefits including a nice pension; all of it comes from fees and taxes levied on Illinois business. We searched the Central Management Services and Workers’ Compensation websites and note the job hasn’t yet been posted. Take our word for it, following longstanding Illinois hiring practices, it won’t be. We remain confident the secret forces that get to fill such posts will clandestinely meet and surreptitiously select from an undisclosed list. You won’t have to worry about an open executive search committee as many states do to get a nationally renowned candidate who has demonstrated expertise—somebody’s cousin’s brother’s uncle will more probably get the nod. As we have said in the past, Illinois business won’t get a say in such decisions until they make demand in the political arena and force it to happen.
The Commission is closed on November 11 in honor of Veteran’s Day. If you have thoughts and comments about the Chairman’s position or the selection process, send a reply.
