‘A great chief’: Wheeling Fire Chief Mike McGreal retires

Wheeling Fire Chief Mike McGreal has retired after nearly four years in that post and nearly four decades in the fire service.

“It was truly a privilege to serve Wheeling the last six-and-a-half years,” McGreal said while being honored by the village board during its meeting Monday night.

McGreal’s retirement was effective Friday.

A party planned in his honor was postponed because of the severe winter weather. But the cold didn’t stop Village Manager Jon Sfondilis from praising McGreal on Monday night.

“Mike is an amazing man (and) was a great chief,” Sfondilis said. “We can’t thank you enough.”

A standing ovation followed.

A second-generation firefighter, McGreal told the board he started his career in Wilmette some 37 years ago after his wife cut out a newspaper advertisement for a job opening. He spent 29 years with Wilmette’s fire department, working his way up to chief. He held that post more than three years before retiring in 2017.

McGreal didn’t stay out of uniform for long, joining the Wheeling Fire Department later that year as a deputy chief. He was named chief in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of an especially difficult time for firefighters and other public safety personnel.

During his tenure as Wheeling’s chief, McGreal oversaw the design and construction of a new station on Wheeling Road and another on McHenry Road that’s set to open by April. The department staff grew on his watch as well.

“You’ve made a big impact here,” Acting Chief Steve Mella said.

Mella gave McGreal a special badge commemorating his retirement as they stood side-by-side at the board’s dais Monday night.

“You’ve been a great mentor and a great friend,” Mella said.

Before the board moved onto other business, McGreal gave Mella his blessing as possible successor, noting his former deputy chief looks good among the officials on the dais.