Back on the home front, Amy Masters was appointed Acting Chairperson of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Bertha E. Parker is now Acting Secretary of the Commission.
Editor’s comment: In what we consider a fascinating development, Governor Blagojevich has already appointed Ms. Masters who is not an attorney but has demonstrated she is a capable administrator. We are happy to see the secret executive search team located a suitable replacement. It would appear the representatives of Illinois business on the Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board already signed off on the appointment. We do not expect Ms. Masters to be as active or challenging as chairperson as her predecessor who came from the same southern Illinois political slipstream.
It is also fascinating to learn Ms. Masters’ photo and resume is on the web at http://www.linkedin.com/in/amymasters#h150-371. If you have time to look you will note she has the support of southern Illinois Representative Jay Hoffman and Ms. Masters used to work for Speaker Michael Madigan. It is not common to see the political pedigree of any candidate for IWCC posts and we hope this concept continues.
We also assume Ms. Masters may be one of the leaders of the “tech” revolution that has brought the Commission and its website from the Stone Age to this century in computer competence. If that is so, we hope she continues the effort. We also hope she starts to cut the IWCC budget that more than doubled under her predecessor. And we assure her we will applaud anything that refocuses the Commission on fairness, impartiality and WC fraud-busting.
Along with the appointment of Ms. Masters, Bertha E. Parker will serve as Acting Secretary during the time Masters serves as Acting Chairman. While she didn’t open the place, Secretary Parker has worked at the Commission since 1978 when gasoline was 68 cents a gallon. Ms. Parker most recently managed the Arbitration Support Staff and will continue to oversee that area—she also will get served with process, albeit in her official capacity, when appeals are taken from the Commission to the circuit courts.
For our readers who have been asking, the Chicago arbitrator calendars are online. Future Will County Circuit Court Judge Paula Gomora still is listed for the December 2008 call and trial dates—someone clearly will handle her call, as we are advised she is no longer at the IWCC. Former Chairperson Gerald Jutila has his own status call and trial dates for December 2008 and all of 2009.
While we always wonder why they use the term “acting” in such appointments, we wish Ms. Masters and Ms. Parker all the best in their challenging new posts. If you have thoughts or comments on these new appointments, please send a reply.
