The Illinois Coalition, one of the state’s most influential advocates for local high-tech economic development, is searching for a new president to replace Shaye Mandle, who is leaving to lead a business group in the Western suburbs.
Mandle said Tuesday he has accepted a post as executive director of the East West Corporate Corridor Association in Naperville, a 17-year-old group whose 200 members include Tellabs, Lucent Technologies and McDonald’s Corp.
“This decision is all about the opportunity at the EWCCA and not at all about a desire to leave the Illinois Coalition,” he said.
Mandle, a Kane County native, said the job offers him a chance “to be involved in issues that affect the kind of growth that occurs in my neighborhood” as he helps EWCCA continue to expand beyond its DuPage County base.
Stephen Mitchell, the Illinois Coalition’s longtime volunteer chairman, said the Chicago-based group is looking nationally for a new president, though it prefers someone from Illinois who knows the political landscape.
Mitchell, in an e-mail Monday night to board members, said a search committee is being convened.
A 30-year-old lawyer and former district director for U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Mandle led the coalition in drawing a blueprint for what became Gov. George Ryan’s VentureTech program, which pledged more than $1 billion over five years for a variety of projects to build the state’s high-tech infrastructure.
Despite that financial commitment, Mandle and others close to the coalition had spoken privately over the past 18 months about frustration at the pace of the state’s progress on the coalition’s programs to support entrepreneurs and increase opportunities for start-ups to get local financing.
Mandle is leaving the 11-year-old group at an important juncture, when the state’s budget crunch likely will mean cuts to the coalition’s budget.
State money for the group doubled under Ryan’s administration to $260,000 in the current fiscal year. The public money is matched by private donations.
Mandle and Mitchell promised a smooth transition Tuesday, noting the EWCCA and the coalition have some common goals and members. Shaye will remain active on the coalition’s board, and Mitchell will step in as necessary until a replacement is found.
Mandle joined the coalition’s four-person staff 2 1/2 years ago, replacing Thomas Thornton, also a former Hastert aide, who quit the coalition after three years to join Divine Interventures, now Divine Inc. Thornton recently signed on to open the Chicago office of Seattle-based Convergent Technology LLC.
