May 14--Kristi Lafleur, the head of the Illinois Tollway, won't be leaving to take the top post at the toll agency in the Orlando, Fla., area.
The board of the Central Florida Expressway Authority voted unanimously Thursday to hire that agency's No. 2 official to be the new executive director, instead of Lafleur.
The two women were finalists for the post after being selected from a group of 15 candidates after a national search, said board member S. Michael Scheeringa.
Scheeringa and other board members lauded Lafleur, 40, for her qualifications but said they felt more comfortable selecting someone from within the agency who was more familiar with the region.
Changes at the top of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority would not be surprising, in the wake of Gov. Bruce Rauner's election.
As governor, Rauner controls the agency and appoints Tollway directors.
Lafleur was appointed in 2010. Prior to her appointment, she was a top aide to former Gov. Pat Quinn, serving as deputy chief of staff for economic development.
Lafleur's salary at the Tollway is $189,000 a year.
The executive director oversees the Tollway's day-to-day operations, and nearly 1,600 employees, with a $1.02 billion annual budget.
rwronski@tribpub.com
