PLEASE NOTE: nominations close Monday, September 19, 2022.
The Civic Federation is pleased to announce a call for nominations for the 31st Annual Motorola Solutions Foundation Excellence in Public Service Award.
The Excellence in Public Service Award recognizes a non-elected government employee in Illinois who has made an extraordinary impact on the quality of government services in state and local governments. The award seeks to honor individuals who show dedication to a vision of quality management, leadership and innovation that leads to lasting achievements and more effective government.
Individuals eligible for nomination are non-elected Illinois state or local government officials, including department heads and chiefs of staff. Nominees must be currently serving in a non-elected position in state or local government and be a resident of Illinois.
Past honorees and co-honorees include Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services Grace B. Hou, Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike, M.D., Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D., Chicago Transit Authority President Dorval Carter, Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Jamie Rhee, Cook County Forest Preserve District General Superintendent Arnold Randall, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership CEO Karin M. Norington-Reaves, Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Commissioner Karen Tamley, former Illinois Department of Human Rights Director Rocco Claps, former Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino, former Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Julie Hamos, former Chicago First Lady Margaret C. Daley, former U.S. Secretary of Education (as Chicago Public Schools CEO) Arne Duncan and former Chicago Transit Authority President Ron Huberman. A full listing of honorees can be found below.
To nominate a candidate: please email the nominee’s name, title, government and a brief description of the nominee’s achievements, including why they are deserving of the award, to outstandingpublicservant@civicfed.org. We encourage any details or observations that go beyond standard career or biographical highlights.
If requested, nominations can be confidential. The deadline for nominations is Monday, September 19, 2022, and the event will take place later this year.
Past Honorees
2021 Grace B. Hou, Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services
2020 Ngozi Ezike, M.D., Director, Illinois Department of Public Health
Allison Arwady, M.D., Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health
2019 Dorval Carter, President, Chicago Transit Authority
2018 Jamie Rhee, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation
2017 Arnold Randall, General Superintendent, Cook County Forest Preserve District
2016 Karin M. Norington-Reaves, CEO, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership
2015 Karen Tamley, Commissioner, Chicago Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities
2014 Rocco Claps, Director, Illinois Department of Human Rights
2013 Rosemarie S. Andolino, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation
2012 Julie Hamos, Director, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
2011 Margaret C. Daley, Former First Lady, City of Chicago
2010 James R. Reilly, Trustee, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority
2009 Judy Erwin, Executive Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education
2008 Arne Duncan, CEO, Chicago Public Schools
2007 Ron Huberman, President, Chicago Transit Authority
2006 Lori Healey, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Planning and Development
2005 Shirley Madigan, Chair, Illinois Arts Council
2004 Terry Peterson, CEO, Chicago Housing Authority
2003 James Joyce, Commissioner, Chicago Fire Department
2002 Pam McDonough, Director, Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs
2001 William Holland, Auditor General, State of Illinois
2000 Mary Dempsey, Commissioner, Chicago Public Library
Audrey McCrimon, Assistant to Secretary, Illinois Department of Human Services
1999 Lois Weisberg, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
1998 Paul Vallas, CEO, Chicago Public Schools
1997 Jess McDonald, Director, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
1996 Richard Wagner, Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education
1995 Robert Belcaster, Chairman, Chicago Transit Authority
1994 Ruth Rothstein, Director, Cook County Hospital
1993 Mary Decker Laraia, Director, Cook County Capital Planning
1992 Sister Sheila Lyne, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Health