The Future of Education Funding in Illinois

Carole L. Brown was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the City of Chicago in May of 2015. Prior to joining the City, Brown had a 25+year career as one of the leading municipal finance investment bankers in the Country. Most recently, Brown served as a Managing Director at Barclays Capital, heading the firm’s Midwest and Southeast municipal practices. She served as the Senior Investment Banker for local and national municipal clients including the City of Chicago, the District of Columbia, the City of Atlanta the States of Illinois, Florida, Michigan and Indiana. Prior to joining Barclays, Brown was employed with Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., LLC and Mesirow Financial. She joined Mesirow after a 10-year career as Managing Director at Lehman Brothers.

For six and half years, Brown served as Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority Board, a position she held through September 2009. As CTA Chair, Brown oversaw policy for the nation’s second largest transportation agency. She was a member of the Transition Team for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, served as Chairman of his TIF Reform Panel, and was one of his appointees to the Board of the Regional Transportation Authority.

From July, 2011 until her appointment as CFO, Brown also served as a Commissioner on the State of Illinois Budget for Results Commission, having been appointed to that position by former Governor Pat Quinn. Brown is the recipient of many professional awards and recognitions, and has been profiled by many publications.

She currently serves on several boards, including Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Metropolitan Planning Council, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, and The Auto Club Group/the Auto Club Insurance Association. Brown is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, The Executives’ Club of Chicago, and The National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP). She is a 2002 Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago and was named that organization’s 2007 Distinguished Fellow. Brown is a native of Baltimore and a graduate of Harvard College. She came to Chicago in 1986 to attend Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Management, where she received a Master’s degree in Management in 1989.

William Daley is a Managing Partner and Head of US Operations for Argentière Capital. Prior to joining Argentière, Daley served as President Obama’s Chief of Staff from January 2011 until January 2012. As Chief of Staff, he was involved in all aspects and issues faced by the President and the administration, both domestic and foreign. Daley also served in the Clinton administration, acting as US Secretary of Commerce from 1997 to 2000. In that role, he coordinated the effort for permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. In 2000, he stepped down from that position to chair Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign.

In between White House administrations, Daley served as President of SBC Communications (2001-2004) and as Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase, Inc. and Chairman of the Midwest Region of the US (2004-2011). At JPMorgan Chase, he also served on the firm’s Operating Committee and was Head of its Office of Corporate Responsibility.

Prior to his career in public service, Daley was a partner at the law firm of Mayer, Brown & Platt; President and Chief Operating Officer of Amalgamated Bank of Chicago; and a lawyer at the firm of Daley and George. Daley has served on the corporate Boards of Directors of Abbott Laboratories, The Boeing Company, Boston Properties, Inc., EDS, and Merck & Co.

Currently, Daley serves on the Boards of Directors of Advance Illinois, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Chicago Community Trust, Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Innovation Foundation, Inc., and Third Way. He also serves on the MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors. Daley earned an LLB from John Marshall Law School and a BA from Loyola University.

Laurence Msall is the President of the Civic Federation, a nonpartisan government research organization established in 1894 that promotes independent and evidence-based efforts to improve the effectiveness, financial sustainability, and transparency of state and local governments in Illinois.

Before joining the Federation in 2002, Msall was Senior Advisor for Economic Development and Infrastructure for Governor George H. Ryan from 1998 to 2002. He previously served as Vice President of the Commercial Club of Chicago, Secretary to the Commercial Club Foundation, and Vice President of the Civic Committee. From 1984 to 1988, Msall represented Governor Jim Thompson's office on economic development and business-related issues before the General Assembly.

He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Woods Fund of Chicago, the Chicago Civic Consulting Alliance, the Cook County Health and Hospitals System Nominating Committee, and the Kennedy Forum of Illinois. Msall also serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs and NPR Illinois Issues. He is an active volunteer with PADS Homeless Shelter and L'arche Chicago. Msall is a graduate of Loyola University School of Law and Knox College.