Simon appoints 2 to state military base committee

SPRINGFIELD — Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon has appointed two new members to a committee that works to retain Illinois military bases and redevelop closed bases to benefit local communities.

Simon says she’s appointed Rick Kwasneski of Lemont and Paul Rumler of Coal Valley to the Interagency Military Base Support and Economic Development Committee.

Simon chairs the committee, and she says Kwasneski and Rumler bring economic development experience and new perspectives.

Kwasneski is executive director of the Joliet Arsenal Development Authority, which oversees development of 3,000 acres at the former arsenal into two industrial parks. He’s also a former Lemont mayor.

Rumler is executive vice president of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Rock Island Arsenal Alliance. He previously led the Quad Cities Passenger Rail Coalition.