Northbrook's next village manager: 'I think it's an exceptional community'

A national search to find a successor for retiring Northbrook Village Manager Rich Nahrstadt found one - right nearby, in Oak Park.

Cara Pavlicek, village manager for Oak Park since 2013, was appointed at the Northbrook Village board meeting on Tuesday; the announcement of her impending hiring came last week.

"Certainly Northbrook is really known for its stable government and its long-standing commitment to civic engagement through a representative democratic process," said Pavlicek, who will fulfill her duties in Oak Park until Aug. 19, and start with Northbrook in September.

"Also, they just have this very diverse tax base, and a strong residential community. It reminded me of a really great partnership with all their other government partners, and I think the combination of those things makes for a strong delivery of services," she said.

Pavlicek, who with her husband of 25 years, Wayne, will relocate to Northbrook from Oak Park, was among 48 applicants for the position, according to Northbrook officials.

A village news release said Pavlicek was a key to Oak Park attaining more than $300 million in private investments toward redevelopments in its downtown.

"Cara Pavlicek has the leadership skills, experience in economic development (and) redevelopment, focus on community engagement and the professional demeanor we are seeking to lead our village staff and to work effectively with our elected body and community," Northbrook Village President Kathryn Ciesla said in the release.

Before serving in Oak Park, Pavlicek was village manager for Downers Grove, and was the city administrator for La Vista, Nebraska.

She also worked five years in the city manager's office in Des Moines, Iowa. According to the Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest, she was one of two finalists for the city administrator position in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2020.

Pavlicek earned a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. Her husband grew up on a farm in Ely, Iowa.

A native of Spokane, Washington, the daughter of two schoolteachers, she earned a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Washington.

A competitive figure skater is a teen, Cara Pavlicek will have a daughter heading to college this fall and also has two adult stepsons.

She said she takes pride in her accomplishments regarding economic development.

"I have had a good track record of sort of matching what a community's vision is with the process of recruitment for potential partners in economic development or redevelopment," she said.

"Also, I think I have a good track record of working with the internal side of village government so that I can really support the professional staff in bringing their best skills and work to the table so that the community is successful.

"Probably lastly, I really enjoy working with the elected officials for establishing their vision and policies for a community," Pavlicek said.

She said Nahrstadt, who twice has had his tenure extended while the search for his successor was underway, has "been really gracious with me." Nahrstadt has been Northbrook village manager the past 13 years.

"I think it's an exceptional community, and I'm just really looking forward to it," Pavlicek said.