Volume 8, No.4

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Brenda Russell Named New Director of IDES

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SENATE CONFIRMS APPOINTMENT OF BRENDA RUSSELL TO HEAD EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DEPARTMENT

Springfield — Brenda A. Russell, a lawyer and former transportation executive whose work on behalf of the railroad industry has included an active role in Chicago civic affairs, was confirmed on Feb. 28, 2003 by the Illinois Senate as Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES).

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich, who named Ms. Russell to the cabinet position on January 17 said, “we searched for people who have demonstrated a commitment to their community and to public service, and Brenda Russell personifies these qualifications. I am proud that she has joined the administration, and I look forward to working with her.”

Ms. Russell, 42, comes to IDES from CSX Transportation, Inc., where she served for the past three years as Resident Vice President, representing the railroad industry on legislative matters. Prior to that, she worked for parent company CSX Corporation, as vice president for community relations from 1998-2000. Among her chief accomplishments at CSX, Ms. Russell was credited with building the company’s community relations program, which structured a nationwide system of outreach to both elected officials and citizen leadership in major cities served by the railroad.

Ms. Russell serves on the Board of Governors and the Executive Committee of the Metropolitan Planning Council of Northeastern Illinois. In that capacity, she has participated in industry initiatives to update the Chicago railroad hub with savings to businesses estimated at several million dollars in current transportation costs.

A graduate of Harvard’s Radcliffe College with a degree in Economics, Ms. Russell also holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia Law School.

Ms. Russell began her career at CSX Transportation as counsel in 1994. In the early 1990s, she practiced law with the Chicago firms of Seyfarth Shaw and later at Carney and Brothers, Ltd, where she counseled lenders and developed loan documentation for banks.

Russell assumes the leadership of IDES at a critical time, as Illinois experiences the lingering effects of the recent economic downturn, including increased unemployment. The department administers the unemployment insurance program for Illinois, which paid out more than $2.478 billion in benefits to jobless workers in 2002. As IDES Director, Russell also will play a key role in the state’s continued restructuring of its workforce development system, encompassing all state employment, training, and education-related programs.

In addition to unemployment insurance, IDES administers the state’s job training program, operates a public employment service and is the chief provider of labor market information for Illinois. With 2,000 employees, the department provides services to the public locally at 60 one-stop career centers and 30 satellite facilities located throughout Illinois.

During her tenure in Chicago, Russell has been active in many community service projects and activities. She currently is a member of the Harvard Club tutor team at Walter Payton High School and teaches Sunday School at Ellis Avenue Church in Hyde Park.