After taking office in December 2002, Commissioner Suffredin organized a committee of community leaders and local experts to help him identify priorities and take action to bring reform to Cook County government and the Forest Preserve District.  The Team included:

Chair: Christopher G. Kennedy

Co-Chairs: Hon. Lorraine Morton, Mayor, City of Evanston; Hon. George Van Dusen,  Mayor, Village of Skokie; Hon. Honorable Anthony J. Ruzicka, Jr., President, Village  of Glencoe; Hon. Bernard L. Stone, Alderman, 50th Ward – Chicago

 Members: Jane Balaban, Dr. Catherine Counard, Judith Ross, Hon. Ann Rainey,  Pradeep Roy-Singh, Lali Watt, and Richard Witry

The Transition Team met several times as a large group and members were assigned to smaller working groups.   Each working group held discussions and worked with Commissioner Suffredin to identify and prioritize action recommendations. The working groups included:

• Administration, facilitated by Hon. George Van Dusen
• Budget, facilitated by Hon. Anthony Ruzicka and Lali Watt
• Health Care, facilitated by Dr. Catherine Counard
• Forest Preserves, facilitated by Jane Balaban
• Outreach & Communications, facilitated by Richard J. Witry

The Transition Team was instrumental in helping Commissioner Suffredin in his first year of office and he still refers to the final report that was developed by the Transition Team.
View Transition Team Final Report