Deputy Gov. Munger moves to state commerce job
Deputy Gov. Leslie Munger of Lincolnshire will become acting director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Gov. Bruce Rauner announced Friday.
She replaces Sean McCarthy of Geneva, who is leaving for the private sector, Rauner's office stated.
Munger is "our point person on the Amazon HQ2 bid and leads the Bicentennial effort. She is the clear choice to take on this interim role," Rauner said in a news release.
He said Munger has led the administration's business development efforts, including overseeing DCEO, since February 2017 when she was appointed to be deputy governor alongside Deputy Gov. Trey Childress, the former chief operating officer of the state of Georgia who was appointed in 2015.
Rauner appointed Munger Illinois comptroller in 2015, but she lost a re-election bid the following year to Democrat Susana Mendoza of Chicago.
Rauner praised McCarthy, who was named acting director in April 2016 and director in February 2017.
"Sean is a tremendously capable manager whose leadership has helped to re-energize our state's business development efforts," the governor said. "He's been a difference-maker for minority entrepreneurs and small businesses, and he has been an outspoken champion of transparency."