Top administrator resigns from DuPage forest district

The executive director of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has resigned after less than 15 months on the job.

Michael Hullihan tendered his notice Wednesday, forest preserve President Joe Cantore said. He said Hullihan's last day with the district will be in February.

“He's taking his professional career in a different direction,” Cantore said. “I wish him the best.”

Ed Stevenson, the district's director of business enterprises, has been appointed to serve as acting executive director. He'll start his new role immediately.

Commissioners spent nearly a year looking for an executive director before hiring Hullihan in July 2015. At the time, he was Oak Brook's public works director.

Hullihan's departure comes nearly three months after commissioners gave him a new, a one-year contract at the same $165,000 annual salary he received in his first pact.

Hullihan couldn't be reached for comment.

A written statement by the district didn't provide a reason for Hullihan's resignation.

Cantore said Hullihan was not forced out. “If he was forced out,” Cantore said, “he would have been fired.”

During his remaining 90 days with the district, Hullihan will be available “to facilitate the transition between him and the acting executive director,” Cantore said.

Hullihan's departure means the district hasn't had a long-term executive director since Brent Manning retired in June 2012 after 8½ years at the helm.

After looking for more than a year for Manning's replacement, commissioners in December 2013 selected Arnie Biondo, who was serving as executive director of the Carol Stream Park District.

Biondo lasted less than eight months on the job before commissioners, who were unhappy with his performance, gave him the option of taking early retirement or being fired. Biondo chose retirement in August 2014 and is now working for a park district in Ohio.

At the time, officials said it was important to fill the post quickly and the commission voted three separate times, starting in mid-August 2014, to hire John Lapinski, a DuPage Circuit Court administrator, to be executive director. But during that process Lapinski became ill and eventually turned down the job to concentrate on his health.

Commissioner Tim Whelan said he's not looking forward to going through another search for a director. “It's the third time around for me,” he said.

Whelan said it's possible the district could hire someone internally.

“I guess there are any number of options,” Whelan said. “But something is going to have to happen so we can replace that position.”

In the meantime, Cantore said he believes there's “a lot of great things to come” with Stevenson as acting executive director.

“Ed is our longest-tenured (administrator),” Cantore said. “Ed has time and time again showed himself to be pretty forward thinking. He's very good with the public. He's somebody who knows how to get big projects done.”

A troubled history

The DuPage Forest Preserve District will be looking for another executive director with the announcement Wednesday that Michael Hullihan is stepping down after slightly more than a year on the job. Here's a look at the district's recent problems in finding a longtime director:

June 2012: Executive Director Brent Manning retires after 8½ years citing health and family concerns.

December 2013: Board hires Arnie Biondo, executive director of the Carol Stream Park District, after more than a yearlong search; he receives a three-year contract.

August 2014: District officials announce Biondo will take early retirement; he says he was forced out of his post after less than eight months.

August 2014: Board hires John Lapinski, trial court administrator for DuPage's chief judge, after a two-week search; he signs a three-year contract.

September 2014: Board is forced to hire Lapinski a second time after a resident raises legal concerns about the first hiring.

September 2014: Board takes a third vote to hire Lapinski after medical issues force him to push back his projected start date from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1.

November 2014: Lapinski says his medical issues will prevent him from serving as executive director.

July 2015: Board hires Oak Brook Public Works Director Michael Hullihan; he receives a one-year contract.

August 2016: Hullihan gets another one-year contract, but without a raise.

November 2016: Hullihan resigns.

Source: Daily Herald archives