Veteran Mundelein firefighter leaving department

A veteran Mundelein firefighter has left the department and is taking a different public safety job.

Deputy Fire Marshal Mark Gaunky, who's been with the fire department for 28 years, is joining the University of Illinois at Chicago as its assistant director of fire and life safety.

A traditional walkout ceremony was held Friday afternoon at the village's main fire station.

Gaunky joined the department as a paid-on-call firefighter in 1989. He worked for the village's public works department for a while and became a full-time firefighter in 1994.

Gaunky was promoted to lieutenant in 2007 and to deputy fire marshal in 2014.

During his tenure, Gaunky twice helped rewrite the village's fire prevention codes and helped revamp the curriculum for the state fire marshal's inspector program, among other accomplishments.

Gaunky will be missed around the fire station, Chief Deputy Fire Chief Bill Lark said.

"The Mundelein Fire Department will indeed hurt a little when he leaves," Lark said. "We are very appreciative of Mark's years of service to the department and for his professionalism throughout his career."