Gov. Pritzker Announces Five Appointments to State Boards and Commissions

Building on a strong team of diverse experts in their fields, Governor JB Pritzker announced the following appointment in his administration:

 
CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD

Beverly Potts will serve on the Capital Development Board.* Potts is a third-generation licensed plumber who began her career as an apprentice and then working for her father's family business. Potts has served as Executive Director of both the Illinois and Bloomington-Normal Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association for 22 years.

ILLINOIS EXECUTIVE ETHICS COMMISSION

Cynthia Ervin will serve on the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission.* Ervin is the Associate General Counsel for Corporate Services and M&A at Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, one of the world's largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers. In her role at ADM, Ervin provides legal support to the company's corporate services groups including real estate, procurement, information technology and security. Prior to joining ADM in 2006, Ervin served in a variety of legal positions in the Illinois state government, including as General Counsel for the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Attorney to the Chairman for the Illinois Pollution Control Board, Assistant Attorney General, law clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Justice Benjamin K. Miller, and law clerk for the Fourth District Appellate Court. Ervin holds a Juris Doctorate from Washington University School of Law and a bachelor's degree in political science from Bradley University. Ervin is a former member of the School Board for the Sangamon Valley Community Unit School District #9, President of the Board of Trustees of the Illiopolis/Niantic Public Library District, and member of the Board of Directors for the Decatur Family YMCA.

Cara Hendrickson will serve on the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission.* Hendrickson is currently a partner at Massey & Gail. Until March 2019, she served as the Chief of the Illinois Attorney General's Public Interest Division, a position she held for more than five years. In that role, Hendrickson supervised more than 60 attorneys and staff in seven bureaus: antitrust, civil rights, disability rights, public utilities, special litigation, tobacco enforcement, and workplace rights, all of which investigate and litigate cases involving serious or persistent violations of state and federal laws. Before joining the Attorney General's Office, she was a partner at Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd. (HSPRD), where she concentrated on constitutional and commercial litigation. Prior to working at HSPRD, Hendrickson was a Skadden Fellow for Business and Professional People for the Public Interest and a law clerk to the Honorable Ann Claire Williams, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Hendrickson also worked as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis. She graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School and received her Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University.

ILLINOIS RACING BOARD

Dan Beiser will serve on the Illinois Racing Board.* Beiser represented the 111th legislative district in the Illinois House Representatives from 2004 to 2017. He previously served as an alderman and city treasurer in Alton, Illinois. Beiser also taught behavioral disorder pre-teen and teenagers at the Educational Therapy Center for eight years. Beiser was the former president of the Catholic Charities Advisory Board and Illinois Municipal Treasurers Association. He received his Master of Science in Special Education and his double Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication and Recreational Administration from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

LOTTERY CONTROL BOARD

Tarrah Cooper Wright will serve on the Lottery Control Board.* Cooper Wright is a partner at Rise Strategy Group, a strategic communications and public affairs firm that advises corporate, startup, non-profit advocacy and foundation clients. Formerly, Cooper Wright was the Managing Director at Mercury, where she was responsible for business development and strategic communications. Prior to joining Mercury, Cooper Wright was Press Secretary for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Prior to her time as Press Secretary, Cooper Wright worked in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where she helped to manage the Department's messaging, priorities, and actions for numerous national incidents. Cooper Wright began her career as a general assignment reporter at KOMU-NBC 8 in Columbia, Missouri. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
 
* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.