Chairman Ruth Resigns

October 3, 2008

Dennis R. Ruth has resigned as Chairman of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission effective the close of business on October 2, 2008. Governor Blagojevich appointed Gerald Jutila to replace Chairman Ruth effective today, October 3, 2008. Arbitrator Laramie will assume responsibility for the cases on Arbitrator (now Chairman) Jutilas call for the rest of 2008. But, in 2009, Arbitrator Dollison will replace Arbitrator Lammie who will, per the website, return to other duties.

Before leaving office, Chairman Ruth changed various assignments to equalize caseloads and minimize travel. You'll find attached a list of the changes that include Arbitrator Akemann taking over the lions share of cases in Rockford, with Arbitrator Giordano departing from that venue to handle the entirety of Kankakee and Ottawa. Arbitrator Andros is vacating Ottawa and Woodstock to take over DeKalb and to help in Rockford and Waukegan. Arbitrator Erbacci is transferred from Waukegan to handle all of Woodstock and a portion of Wheaton. Arbitrator Fratianni is taken from Wheaton and transferred to Waukegan where she will handle most of the cases.

Other changes of note concern Arbitrator Mathis who will be handling all of Peoria, while Arbitrator Neal is shifted to Carlinville, Decatur and Urbana. Arbitrator White will take over in Bloomington and Mattoon, with Arbitrator Falcioni moving to Joliet where he will handle the majority of the call, while Arbitrator Hennessy joins Arbitrator Kinnaman in Geneva. Arbitrator Tobin assumes the Springfield call, with Taylorville and Carlyle being eliminated. Cases assigned to those venues will be transferred to the closest hearing site.