Glen Ellyn business owner chosen to fill DuPage vacancy

A Glen Ellyn business owner has been tapped to replace the late Jerry "JR" McBride on the DuPage County Board.

Chairman Dan Cronin said Wednesday that Karyn M. Romano is his choice to fill the District 4 board seat that's been vacant since McBride's death on Oct. 24.

The full board is scheduled to vote Dec. 9 on Romano's appointment. If it's approved, Romano will represent District 4 for the remainder of McBride's term, which expires Nov. 30, 2016.

"I'm thrilled and delighted that a person of her caliber, talent and work experience wants to serve," Cronin said.

Romano, who owns Metro Strategies, Inc., was selected over seven other finalists for the spot. Cronin said her experience in government makes her uniquely qualified for the position.

Romano could not immediately be reached for comment, but her resume indicates her Glen Ellyn-based public affairs consulting firm specializes in "community and government relations, project management, planning, research and policy development, coalition building and public involvement."

Cronin said Romano has "hands-on" experience in stormwater, public safety and public transit.

"She comes highly recommended from people who are involved in those issues," said Cronin, adding that Romano is a grant writer. "She knows local government. She knows what its needs are."

Since January 2010, Metro Strategies has had a contract with DuPage to write grants for the county. Annual payments to the firm have ranged from $3,900 to $7,325, officials said.

Cronin said Metro Strategies' contract with the county will be terminated if Romano becomes a board member.

Still, Romano's experience "allows her to hit the ground running" and contribute to the deliberations of the board, Cronin said.

"She will serve District 4 in a very capable way," he said. "There won't be any learning curve with Karyn."

Romano, who graduated in 1988 from Elmhurst College, has worked for the West Central Municipal Conference, the North Central Council of Mayors, the state comptroller's office and Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd. She was the transportation director for the Metropolitan Planning Council when she left that position in November 2004 to start Metro Strategies.

County board District 4 includes all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton and Winfield.