African American Clergymen Among Governor-Elect Rauner's Transition Team

Lee Edwards | As of Wednesday, November 12, 2014

In this photo taken on Sept. 15, governor-elect Bruce Rauner, makes a campaign stop to greet potential voters at the 95th & Dan Ryan bus/train terminal. Bruce Rauner defeated incumbent governor, Pat Quinn, by a margin of 7% or roughly 49,000 votes according to the Cook County Clerk’s office as of Nov. 10.
In this photo taken on Sept. 15, governor-elect Bruce Rauner, makes a campaign stop to greet potential voters at the 95th & Dan Ryan bus/train terminal. Bruce Rauner defeated incumbent governor, Pat Quinn, by a margin of 7% or roughly 49,000 votes according to the Cook County Clerk’s office as of Nov. 10. Photo by Lee Edwards.

On Nov. 6, as one of his first public acts as governor-elect of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, announced campaign supporters, Pastor Corey Brooks, New Beginnings Church of Chicago, 6620 S. King Dr. and Rev. James Meeks, Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, the House of Hope, 752 E. 114th St. as members of his transition team. The clergymen are slated to assist him as he prepares to be sworn in and take office on Jan. 12, 2015.

Senior members of his transition team were announced on Nov. 5, with Evelyn Sanguinetti, the lieutenant governor-elect, serving as the transition team’s Chairwoman.

Bruce Rauner’s Senior Transition Team include:

· Evelyn Sanguinetti, Chairwoman

· Mike Zolnierowicz, Transition Director

· Chip Englander, Senior Advisor

· Nancy Kimme, Transition Advisor

· Mike Schrimpf, Communications Director

"I am committed to assembling a diverse and talented team to drive results for our state and bring back Illinois," said Bruce Rauner. “I am pleased to announce key members of the transition committee who I have selected to work alongside Evelyn Sanguinetti and our senior transition staff as we prepare to take office. It is an honor to have such a talented group of individuals working with me to get our state working for the people again.”

Throughout Rauners’ gubernatorial campaign, Brooks and Meeks were among several African American faith-based leaders who were staunch supporters of Republican candidates running in Illinois, despite strong criticism from pockets of the African American community. Additionally, throughout this past election season, Brooks and Meeks both criticized the Democratic Party for consistently taking the African American community "for granted" and cited this as part of the reason they supported Rauner.

On Election Night, Nov. 4, in a conversation with the Chicago Citizen Newspaper, when asked about what’s next for him in terms of supporting governor-elect Rauner Brooks said, “I’m just going to be a team player and try to make sure that I support him in every way.”

On Sept. 15 during an early morning campaign stop for Rauner at the 95th & Dan Ryan bus/train terminal, Brooks explained to the Chicago Citizen Newspaper that he decided to support Rauner for governor because of Rauner's commitment to job creation. He cited too that more jobs would help curtail the violence throughout the city.

Meeks told the Chicago Citizen Newspaper on Election Night, Nov. 4, that in order to be re-elected Rauner will have to do his best to keep his campaign promises.

According to an email sent to the Chicago Citizen Newspaper by Mike Schrimpf, Rauner's

transition team's Communications Director, other members of Rauner’s transition team include:

· Former Ill. Governor, Jim Edgar

· Bill Daley – Managing Partner and head of U.S. operations, Argentiere Capital LP, former White House Chief of Staff

· Glenn Poshard – Former President, Southern Illinois University; former U.S. Congressman

· Manny Sanchez – Founder and Managing Partner, Sanchez Daniels & Hoffman LLP; Co-Chair, Latinos for Obama

· Doug Oberhelman – CEO and Chairman, Caterpillar Inc.

· State Representative Jill Tracy – 94th District, Illinois House of Representatives

· Ron Huberman – Operating Executive, Prairie Capital; former Superintendent and CEO, Chicago Public Schools

· Phyllis Wise – Chancellor, University of Illinois

· Jim Alexander – President, Illinois State Police Command Officer’s Association (ISPCOA)

· Congressman Aaron Schock – Representative, 18th Congressional District of Illinois

· Arabel Alva Rosales – President, AAR & Assocs., LTD.Ron Gidwitz – Partner, GCG Partners

· John Gates – Chairman and CEO, PortaeCo, LLC.

· Rob Funderburg – Chairman and owner, Alpine Bank

· Mark Cozzi- Managing Partner, Lincoln Park Capital Group

· Tony Anderson – Retired Vice Chairman and Midwest Managing, Partner Ernst & Young

· Sarah Frey-Talley – President, CEO Frey Farms

· Gloria Cardenas Cudia – President and Founder, Salsa Business Network

· Jim Schultz – Founder of Open Prairie and Managing Director of Open Prairie Ventures I and II

· Dr. Willie Wilson –Chairman, Chicago Baptist Institute International (CBII)

Bruce Rauner defeated incumbent governor, Pat Quinn, by a margin of 7% or roughly 49,000 votes according to the Cook County Clerk’s office as of Nov. 10.

For more information visit http://brucerauner.com/.

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