Village welcomes new public works operations superintendent

LOMBARD, Illinois—“I was very impressed by the Public Works staff and the Village's selection process,” said Tom Ellis, Lombard's new Operations Superintendent in the Public Works Department. “I feel privileged to be a part of the operation and fortunate to have been selected for the position,” he added.

Ellis assumes the position of Operations Superintendent, which has been vacant since March, after the retirement of former Operations Superintendent, Keith Surges. He is no stranger to the area of public works, having worked in several capacities for local government. He most recently worked as an Engineer and then was promoted to Public Works Director for the city of Lockport, with additional experience in the New Lenox Public Works Department as well as serving approximately five years as a foreman for a construction company.

“I have more areas of my job that I am more passionate about than others,” Ellis pointed out, “but ‘streets' has always been my dream job,” he added.

Ellis holds a Bachelor's Degree in construction management from the University of Purdue-Calumet and various certifications of continuing education as well as Illinois Department of Transportation certifications and several licenses related to his work.

Ellis sees as the biggest challenge of his new position, finding more ways to save money and reviewing procedures for efficiency. “I bring a different perspective to the position,” Ellis said. “I am not here necessarily to change anything. I hope to take a fresh look at operations and see what I have to offer,” he added.

A resident of New Lenox, Ellis claims that what brought him to Lombard was a special wood that is only available at a specialty woodshop in town. Unable to purchase the wood elsewhere, Ellis found himself traveling to Lombard for the wood that he uses to build pedal planes, which he in turn sells to fund kids' attendance at aviation-related camps.

“The Department of Public Works is excited to welcome Tom Ellis to our department. His innovative approaches and past successes in implementing changes will assist the Department in its continued efforts to reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies,” said Carl Goldsmith, Public Works Director.