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* 4:38 pm - Well, so much for breaking this news to subscribers tomorrow morning. From a press release…

Pat Quinn today announced three top appointments to his executive cabinet. Today’s actions are the latest in a series of appointments Governor Quinn is making as he continues to fulfill his commitment to creating jobs, fostering economic development and increasing efficiency and accountability in all areas of state government.

Governor Quinn today named Salvador “Tony” Godinez to lead the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC). Acting Director Gladyse Taylor will return to her previous position as assistant director. The Governor also re-appointed Warren Ribley as director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and Major General William Enyart as Illinois’ Adjutant General, directing the state’s Department of Military Affairs.

“Tony Godinez, Warren Ribley and General William Enyart have devoted their careers to public service, and the people of Illinois will benefit from their wealth of knowledge and experience,” said Governor Quinn. “I thank Gladyse Taylor for her dedication and leadership and look forward to her continued work on behalf of the people of Illinois.”

Currently the executive director of the Cook County Sheriff’s Department of Corrections, Godinez has spent 37 years working in the correctional system, including as warden of Stateville Correctional Center, as well as chief of operations and chief of staff at IDOC.

Previously, Godinez also served as warden of Ely State Prison, a maximum security facility in Ely, Nevada, and as a corrections administrator in Michigan, Delaware, Louisiana and Puerto Rico. A graduate of the University of Illinois-Chicago and Chicago State University, Godinez has participated in professional associations related to anti-violence and corrections policy nationwide.

Warren Ribley was appointed by Governor Quinn to lead DCEO in March 2009. Since then, Ribley has overseen agency efforts to foster job creation and economic growth in Illinois, by building the state’s green economy, attracting high-growth industries to locate and expand in Illinois, increasing opportunities for global trade and providing support for job training and continuing education. As director of DCEO, Ribley has overseen the state’s efforts to attract or retain more than 100 businesses, leveraging $3.3 billion in private investment and creating or retaining more than 26,600 jobs.

Major General William Enyart was appointed as the 37th Adjutant General of the State of Illinois in 2007. In addition to advising the Governor on military matters and overseeing the Illinois Department of Military Affairs, he is the senior officer for both the Illinois Army and Air National Guard, overseeing 13,500 men and women in uniform. In his military career, General Enyart has earned numerous awards and decorations, serving abroad in Italy, Japan and Ukraine, and completing assignments including service in the infantry, as well as in the Judge Advocate General Corps. [Emphasis added]

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 4:40 pm

Comments

Yep, I’ve been hearing the rumors about IDOC for a few days now. I believe he was appointed under Blago for the DOC but was quickly pushed out and moved to Cook County

Comment by Publius Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 4:43 pm
Godinez was at the helm during the failures of the Walker administration. I hope he has changed since then.

Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 4:55 pm
He may have done a release for all three, but paperwork was filed today (at Index) to appoint only one - Warren Ribley. Nothing has been filed for the other two.

Comment by Agricola Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 4:58 pm
Obviously Quinn is too afraid to pick someone out of state, or pick someone that AFSCME doesn’t want, but this feels like a step back into old-school IDOC. Godinez will probably try to bring some of his buddies back in. Gives me a sinking feeling that Illinois will never become a criminal justice reform state.

Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 5:06 pm
I always thought Godinez was one of the good guys at DOC when he was there — an old pro. He’s a safe pick…won’t shake things up, but sure as hell won’t screw things up either. No MGT Push surprises out of this guy. Boring is good in corrections.

Comment by Frank Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 5:26 pm
Godinez is a great pick.
Now hopefully, for the first time in over ten years, the Director will be aloud to run the agency.

Comment by Pete Mitchell Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 5:50 pm
Godinez is a professional and very, very, bright guy. I am surprised Quinn had the smarts finally to place a practical, experienced, and educated professional in charge of the $1.3 billion dollar department. It’s a step down a very long road to sound management.

Comment by Louis Howe Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 5:51 pm
–Godinez has spent 37 years working in the correctional system, including as warden of Stateville Correctional Center, as well as chief of operations and chief of staff at IDOC.–

That’s a long time in that line of work.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:08 pm
Quinn demotes another black for a hispanic!!

Comment by nah Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:11 pm
Yes, the union loves him, and they love boring. But, the prison population is soaring out of control and the only solution for a union ally is to hire more correctional officers. So, I guess that’s what we will do.

Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:13 pm
Seriously, nah? That’s the best you can do? Reduce this all to racial quota politics?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:19 pm
The agency could do a lot worse than Godinez at least he won’t have a learning curve. I wonder if Sergio will come back.

Comment by IDOC Vet Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:28 pm
Sergio and Tony never got along. However, both a decent guys.

Comment by Louis Howe Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:33 pm
IDOC doesn’t need a “career professional” or an “old pro.” It needs a leader and a reformer. At a time when other states are cutting their prison populations in order to save money and lower recidivism, Illinois in the last year has actually increased corrections spending and increased its prison population. Neither of these trends is sustainable and so change has gotta come…and soon. is Godinez up to the challenge? I sure hope so.

Comment by bartelby Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:36 pm
I worked for Godinez at Stateville when he was the Warden. The Inmates loved him, and the staff hated him. He would meet with the Gang Leaders once a week and see what he could do for them. He believed this would keep his staff safe. It didn’t, it only let the Gangs run the prison and got staff hurt. Don’t believe me???? Ask anyone who worked for him at Stateville. Very Sad day for IDOC !

Comment by Old Guard Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:46 pm
AWESOME!!!

Comment by Fan of Tony Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 6:50 pm
GREAT NEWS. HE US A TRUE LEADER

Comment by Bejeweled Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 7:24 pm
Yes.. I also worked at Stateville after he left. I heard he was the Warden or Asst Warden when Richard Speck was there. If yes… was he aware of his free roaming in the prison? Could a reporter find out?

Comment by The ville Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 7:31 pm
Mr. Godinez also worked for Wackenhut and was the Warden at the Jena Juvenile Justice Center in Jena, Louisiana when several juveniles filed a civil rights federal lawsuit over the conditions and treatment at the justice center. Ended up the feds stepped in and took over the justice center.

Comment by Ex-Warden Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 9:08 pm
I worked at Stateville and knew Godinez. I had nothing but respect for him. Anybody that was around in those days knows that all the maximum security warden’s had to wheel and deal with the gangs because we didn’t have the control we enjoy today. Good pick Governor!

Comment by Vet Monday, Apr 25, 11 @ 9:23 pm
it the governor going to let him do his job or is he just a figure head

Comment by another figure head Tuesday, Apr 26, 11 @ 3:23 pm
Warren needs to go. He’s a hack, but he’s Quinn’s hack I guess, eh?

Comment by Sad State Tuesday, Apr 26, 11 @ 11:17 pm