Professional Experience

John has over 35 years experience as a Director of Public Works, having worked for four suburban municipal governments. During his tenure, John’s responsibilities included overall management of public works divisions to include municipal engineering, streets, stormwater management, sanitary sewers, water treatment, wastewater treatment, parks maintenance, forestry, contract recycling and refuse, building and grounds maintenance and fleet services. He was also responsible for the operation and maintenance of deep sandstone potable water supply wells. Throughout his career he was responsible for annual operating budgets up to 6 million dollars and annual capital improvement budgets up to 10 million dollars. John routinely worked with developers to provide direction and guidance to ensure proposed projects complied with municipal codes and requirements with respect to municipal engineering and public works operations. Some of his notable accomplishments include organizing the design and construction of capital improvements following a $20 million road referendum; coordinating water main, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer replacement and pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction; and leading a team that completed a $1 million highway and local road improvement project within 45 days.

As the Director of Public Works, John was involved with the successful negotiation of Barrington, Illinois’ first Public Works labor contract.

John is currently a Senior Construction Manager with Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd. in Rosemont, Illinois where he assists local municipalities with project concept, implementation, design, and construction. He has also served in an interim/contract capacity with four (4) municipalities as a Director of Public Works while they were without staff to fill that role.

Education and Training

John earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois.

Committees and Professional Organizations

John is a Life/35-year member of the American Public Works Association Lake County Branch of the Chicago Metro Chapter. He has served as President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer for both the Lake County Branch and the Chicago Metro Chapter. He has also served as Chairman of the Scholarship and Education Committee for the Lake Branch. From 2004-2014, John served as the Chicago Metro Chapter’s National Chapter Delegate.

Awards and Accomplishments

John is a past American Public Works Association (APWA) Harry S. Swearingen Award recipient, an honor awarded for service to APWA and his local Chapter, and was named in 2004 as a Top Ten Public Works Leader of the Year. John was named the 2015 Richard A. Welton Stormwater Manager of the Year by the Lake County, Illinois Stormwater Management Commission and Inducted into the Chicago Metro Chapter of the APWA Hall of Fame in 2016. Most recently, John was presented with a Leadership Award by the Des Plaines River Watershed Workgroup for being a founding member and leader.