Lake County administrator to retire in February
Gary Gibson, who came out of retirement four years ago to serve as interim and then full-time Lake County administrator, is going to give it another try.
The Lake Bluff resident this week announced he'll retire at the end of his contract Feb. 16, capping 34 years in the public sector and 28 years in different roles with Lake County government.
"Gary, through his leadership, has played an integral part in the success of many projects and initiatives not only in his current role, but also in his previous positions in Lake County government," Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart said in a news release.
Gibson came out of retirement in fall 2019 to serve as interim administrator after the unexpected resignation of Administrator Bill Panos, who quit after two months to take another job.
He was hired full-time as the county's top staffer a few months later and received a standing ovation from the county board after the vote. His two-year contract was renewed in February 2022.
Gibson was assistant county administrator from 1993 to 2008. He moved to assistant manager and then manager of the county's workforce investment board from 2008 to 2017 and in other governmental roles.
Under his leadership, the county navigated through the pandemic, allocated more than $250 million in federal COVID relief funding, secured funding for the Regional Operations and Communications facility now under construction at the county's Libertyville campus, and maintained a triple A bond rating, the highest possible, from Moody's and Standard & Poor's, according to the news release.
"These past four years have brought many challenges, and I am proud to have worked with the board and county employees as we addressed those issues and more," Gibson said.
He said serving as Lake County administrator has been "the greatest honor of my professional career."
"I am profoundly grateful for the support, encouragement and friendships developed over the course of my career with Lake County," he added.
Hart will lead an internal search for a new county administrator.