Fire Services Management Team
Mr. Ernie Russell, a Principal Associate with our firm, most recently served as the Illinois State Fire Marshal as a member of the Governors Cabinet from January 2001 through July 2003. As Fire Marshal, he supervised a professional staff that managed five divisions. The Fire Marshal, among other duties, drafts proposed legislation, works with volunteer departments, fire districts and municipal career departments. He researches and develops proposals and promotes the advancement of the fire service on a national level (e.g. FEMA fire act). Most importantly, he represents the fire service in Illinois.
As a member of the Peoria, Illinois, Fire Department for 34 years, Mr. Russell worked his way through the ranks serving as Training Chief, Fire Prevention Chief, Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Chief. As Fire Chief, he was responsible for more than 200 firefighters and additional support staff. He has many years of experience in the budgetary process and led the Peoria Fire Department in several fire station location/relocation and resource deployment programs. His leadership skills are evident in the positive relationships he developed with higher authorities, peers, employees, union leaders and the public. Mr. Russell possesses a B.S. in Political Science and an M.A. in Public Administration. Mr. Russell will be responsible for evaluating management practices, organization structure and external relationships.
Mr. James Eaves, who retired in 2004 after serving nearly thirty-five years in the fire service, is a Principal Associate with our firm. At the time of his retirement, he was the Fire Chief of Hoffman Estates. Prior to that, Mr. Eaves served as the Fire Chief in Skokie and in Harvey, Illinois, where he began his career as a firefighter. Mr. Eaves will be responsible for evaluating emergency medical service provisions, personnel management, training and career development in the department.
Mr. James Joyce is a senior management consultant with our firm and has had a long and distinguished career in the fire service. In May of 2004, Mr. Joyce retired after serving more than 30 years with the Chicago Fire Department. For the last five years he served as the Commissioner of the Chicago Fire Department. During a thirty-year career, he held various ranks including First Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner with that organization. In addition, Mr. Joyce has a Masters of Arts in Public Administration from Governors State University in University Park, Illinois and has attended the Harvard University Graduate Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. Mr. Joyce was one of the two consultants in the study we recently completed for the City of Ottawa, Illinois.