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Wheeling backs former judge for CEA board chairman

Wheeling village trustees Monday approved the appointment of retired Cook County judge John Tourtelot as chairman of the Chicago Executive Airport board of directors.

If also approved by the Prospect Heights City Council next week, Tourtelot will replace Robert MacKenzie, who resigned Feb. 18 citing increased obligations at his law practice.

Wheeling Village President Dean Argiris and Prospect Heights Mayor Nick Helmer both recommended Tourtelot for chairman, whose duties include meeting with users of the airport, working with businesses in the area and running the board of directors meetings.

Tourtelot, of Schaumburg, is a former Arlington Heights police sergeant who left the force in 1992 to become a prosecutor for the Cook County state's attorney's office. He also served as a municipal prosecutor for Schaumburg and Prospect Heights and as a judge in Cook County circuit court from 1995 to 2014.

"I see this as a real challenge, I've never flown an airplane before," Tourtelot told the Wheeling village board this week. "I've flown on many helicopters in the service, but sitting on the skids of a helicopter is not the same as flying."

Argiris says Tourtelot's lack of a personnel agenda when it comes to airplanes will benefit the board and the airport.

"I think having people with agendas has hurt us in the past," Argiris said. "But John's a people person and he knows how to listen to people."

Argiris says he was impressed with Tourtelot's knowledge of the airport's history, budget and the business itself.

"John's the type of guy you could sit down and really have a smart and educated conversation with," he said.

Argiris says four others applied for the position.

Prospect Hts. replaces airport board member

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