Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
…Bumping for visibility; Comments reopened…
* 4:35 p.m. Friday - Jack Lavin has reportedly left the Governor’s Office to accept a position in the private sector. Deputy COS Ryan Croke has been promoted…
Croke has served as deputy chief of staff to Governor Quinn since November 2009, where he spearheaded a variety of key public safety, economic development and government modernization efforts. In this role, he has served as a senior advisor to the Governor while managing and collaborating with the Governor’s cabinet officers. His responsibilities have included oversight of critical agencies from the Illinois State Police, Department of Corrections, Emergency Management Agency and Fire Marshal’s Office, to the Departments of Veterans’ and Military Affairs, Historic Preservation Agency, and Departments of Natural Resources and Agriculture.
The Governor left for Japan this afternoon. I’ll try to have more details.
* 4:46 p.m. - From the Retail Merchants Association…
“The members of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association want to congratulate Ryan Croke on being appointed as Chief of Staff to Governor Pat Quinn.
“We’ve worked with Ryan since he was in the Lt. Governor’s office and we found him to be laser-focused on whatever responsibilities were assigned to him. We look forward to working with him in the administration of Governor Quinn to improve the jobs climate in Illinois.”
* 4:54 p.m. - The new COS at a dedication ceremony in Springfield last year.
* 5:05 p.m. - The word I am getting is that Lavin played his departure pretty close to the chest. People who talked to him yesterday said they had no idea this was coming. Those that work with Lavin on a more regular basis have said they only knew he was headed to the private sector, which was the only clue included in the press release.
* 6:20 p.m. - Dave McKinney has react from Michael Carrigan…
“We have enjoyed working with Ryan Croke on a number of issues and have found him to be a talented and dedicated person who always respects Illinois’ working men and women,” Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan said in a prepared statement. “We look forward to working together with Ryan in his new role as we continue to help create jobs and build the middle class.”
- wordslinger - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 4:44 pm:
Is there something to be ashamed of here? Why sneak the guy in the door?
Two weeks, two late-Friday news dumps.
- Roamin' Numeral - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 4:45 pm:
Well, it is after 4:00 PM on a Friday. Time to make news!
- Nearly Normal - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 4:47 pm:
I have worked with Ryan on Internet connectivity issues for schools and libraries. Seems to be very capable. Don’t know why he got a late Friday announcement except it seems to be a pattern with this gov.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 4:52 pm:
Maybe the Quinn administration wanted to make sure, and it took all week, and all of today, Friday … after 4 pm… to make perfectly certain … that this was going to happen(?)
Look, it’s not like Quinn is out of state …Quinn is out of the country, not out of state, so I would just think of this, not as a slap in the face, but just the “Day” or “week” got away from the Press Shop…
It happens …
- Empty Chair - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 4:56 pm:
Ryan Croke is an incredibly capable guy. Will be big for him at the helm during 2014, as he’s quite politically savvy too. Good choice, Quinn.
Couldn’t be happier for Jack. Possibly the kindest man you’ll ever meet, who has been the barer of bad news for an administration plagued by tough circumstances, and occasionally questionable decision making from the top. He’s got a young family, and I’m happy for him and Kathy that he’ll be able to spend some time with them.
- yepperdo - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 4:56 pm:
This is good news for downstate Illinois!
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:00 pm:
Was … “Squeezy” … a “Friday News Dump” …
Like announcing the new COS?
November 19th, 2012 … was a Monday …
Food for thought …
- Sacajawea - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:03 pm:
Why is the Illinois Retail Merchants Association so quick on the congratulations? Nothing against Ryan, but doesn’t that strike you as weird that they would put out a statement like that?
Very odd.
- LittleLebowskiUrbanAchiever - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:03 pm:
Congrats to Ryan! Good luck to Jack.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:04 pm:
You know, time flies when you’re havin’ fun!
- Rich Miller - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:04 pm:
Is he old enough to drive himself to work?
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:05 pm:
Great news, Ryan is a class act and works his tail off, never heard a bad word said about the guy.
Jack deserves a lot of thanks also, he had a great run and handled some monumental challenges. Best of luck.
- Small Town Liberal - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:09 pm:
Always with the age thing, can’t you statehouse types come up with anything else
- MOD - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:11 pm:
Might be young, but he is definitely capable. Has proven himself to be a quick study, listens to stakeholders and stays engaged until the job is done. Good pick, I think he’ll do well.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:12 pm:
“Ok, so see you guys on Monday, that release on Ryan taking over for Jack, I didn’t see that in the week’s clippings …it never got out? …Squeezy’s coloring book release… no pay to legislators Grinch release … ok, see that … NU Football opens against Syracuse, that got out yesterday right? Oh good … yeah, I don’t see it …
Ok, just blast it, its like just after 4 on the Friday, so someone is working… and can you have the releases ready for Monday about the ‘Day and Night Squeezy-Style’ ready for Monday …”
‘The Quinn Communications Plan - It takes all week to plan, but takes a drop late on Friday to make the message be even more useless…”
- Empty Chair - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:16 pm:
Anyone think maybe it was Lavin who asked for this to be announced quietly, on a Friday, so as not to make noise? He has never liked the spotlight.
- Billy Goat - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:16 pm:
How old was Dillard? 34?
- Kathryn - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:21 pm:
Live it up he’ll be in the unemployment line come January 2015 along with the rest of Quinn’s day care age employees
- Chicago Cynic - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:24 pm:
Jack’s been trying to move to the private sector for at least six years so congrats to him for finally getting out. Anyone know where he went? And btw, nothing against Ryan, but if this wasn’t a bad thing from their perspective, why did they announce it via a Friday PM news dump instead of waiting for next week???
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:31 pm:
For Immediate Release
GOV.’S QUINN’S ‘DAY AND NIGHT’ WORK SCHEDULE THROWS MESSAGE RELEASE DATE AND TIMES OFF SAYS SQUEEZY
Springfield, IL - In a pattern that seems to have those around the Illinois Statehouse baffled, the Quinn Administration today is releasing the following explanation to the rash of ‘Late Friday’ press dumps.
“While it might be confusing to many as to why Governor Quinn is using Friday for a great many of his press releases, it comes to no shock to anyone close to the Governor as to why inforamtion keeps coming out late on Fridays.
Governor Quinn’s personal internal clock is out of kilter do to the ‘Day and Night’ work scheduled that Governor Quinn took upon himself for the People of Illinois. Governor Quinn, while having to endure the stress of such a busy work schedule, the Office of the Governor is trying its best to keep up with Governor Quinn, even if the governor has no clue as to the date, time, day of the week, or the even the season of the year.
Governor Quinn hopes to recalibrate his internal clock with a trip to Japan, which in an odd coinicidence is in lock step with Governor Quinn’s internal clock, sharing many of the daily touchstones like lunch or late-night snacks with the island nation.
When the Governor returns, He hopes to get past this Friday Media snafu, and move on to press communication that is in concert with the Central Time Zone of Illinois.’
Although this message is from the Office of the Governor, I, Squeezy the Python, will take all inquiries in this matter, and will be available, starting next Friday, after 4pm, Central Standard Time.
###
- The Dragon's Breath - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:35 pm:
Or could Lavin have sudenly decided to abandon ship and jump into a conveniently located lifeboat because he knows there is an iceberg about to hit the ship? Perhaps the story shouldn’t be so much about Croke as about why did Lavin suddenly decide to part company with Quinn and leave?
- FriendlyFace - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:40 pm:
I think this is good news for the state regardless of how unnecessarily late the word was released. I met Croke years ago, he’s smart, personable and will undoubtedly do a great job in the position.
- Ali Ata - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:41 pm:
Maybe Papa Tony’s getting outta the joint and he and Lavin are getting back together.
- Juice - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 5:47 pm:
Yep, because once you’re in a job, you must forever stay in that job.
- Central Illinois - Friday, Sep 6, 13 @ 6:20 pm:
Ryan is a great choice. Smart move by the Governor. He is sharp and energetic guy.