DuPage Forest Preserve picks new top administrator

Oak Brook's public works director, Michael Hullihan, will be the next executive director of the DuPage County Forest Preserve District, ending a nearly yearlong search to fill the top administrative post.

Commissioners are scheduled to vote Tuesday on a $165,000, one-year contract for Hullihan. If approved, his first day on the job will be Aug. 24.

The 60-year-old from LaGrange said he is excited to take on the new role.

"It's the best job in the world," he said. "The job is facilitating the public's access to great natural areas and teaching them, and then preserving those areas. Who wouldn't love that?"

The district has been operating without an executive director since the board forced Arnie Biondo out of the post last August after less than eight months on the job.

Hullihan said he believes his experience in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including four years working in the New Orleans area and two years near Louisville, will serve him well in his new position.

"It was extremely close to the same duties I'll be undertaking, only it was on a little bit larger of a scale," he said.

Those duties included preserving natural areas, encouraging people to interact with nature, educating people about nature and keeping them safe.

Hullihan also has served as vice president of Gannett Fleming, a global company focused on infrastructure solutions.

He said he enjoys walking his dog in the forest preserve's dog parks and looks forward to interacting with residents outside his office.

Forest Preserve President Joe Cantore said he is confident Hullihan will do "some great things" for the district and work well with staff to get them done.

"Yes, he has a lot of engineering experience and a lot of public works experience, but what really impressed us about him is he has a lot of leadership experience," he said.

Cantore said Hullihan is enthusiastic about getting more people to visit the forest preserves and believes he will be visible and accessible to residents.

"We want people to get in there and have some fun and enjoy themselves, and I think Mike is going to carry that excitement along," Cantore said.

Commissioner Mary Lou Wehrli said she is optimistic the district will thrive under Hullihan's leadership.

"I think he'll bring some strengths that are badly needed at the district," she said. "He'll be a good glue to hold us all together and help move us forward."

Wehrli said three finalists were interviewed by the commission. She said the commission was looking for someone with strong administrative skills, strong team-building skills and experience that could help lead the construction of a fleet maintenance building and other complex facility work.

"We were looking to bring a fresh perspective," she said, adding that the commission agreed to a one-year contact so it can "be clear that the new person is doing the job that's expected."

The district hasn't had a long-term executive director since Brent Manning retired in June 2012 after 8½ years at the helm.

After searching for his replacement for more than a year, commissioners picked Arnie Biondo, who was serving at the time as executive director of the Carol Stream Park District.

Biondo lasted less than eight months on the job before commissioners, who were unhappy with his performance, gave him the option of taking early retirement or being fired. Biondo chose retirement last August and is now working for a park district in Ohio.

At the time, officials said it was important to fill the post quickly and the commission voted three separate times, starting in mid-August, to hire John Lapinski, a DuPage Circuit Court administrator, to be executive director. But during that process Lapinski became ill and eventually turned down the job to concentrate on his health.

Hullihan said he is aware of the circumstances involving past executive directors, but isn't letting that bother him because he is dedicated to the job and has plans to stay for a long time.

"I'm pretty mild mannered, but I'm also resolute," he said. "It's served me well in the past in trying situations, and I'm not overly worried."

The DuPage County Forest Preserve District includes 60 forest preserves, 145 miles of trails and five education centers. It is estimated that more than 4 million people visit the preserves each year.

• Daily Herald staff writer Robert Sanchez contributed to this report.