Jack Lavin
Director DCEO

Jack Lavin has served as Governor Rod Blagojevich’s Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for over two years. During that time, he has led the transformation of the agency into an organization geared to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

As Director of DCEO, Jack has led the total reorganization of the agency, which included the introduction of regional business outreach and goals, the coordination of state job training programs geared for maximum economic impact, and the overall streamlining of the agency.

Among his key accomplishments at DCEO are the passage of legislation to ensure corporate accountability in the application of state business incentive programs, the passage and implementation of new film tax credits that have revitalized that industry, and the creation of new, innovate job training programs – including programs that partner with existing businesses, identify critical skill shortages, and/or aim at preparing the disabled for the workforce.

Lavin has nineteen years of experience and a record of job creation and financial management in both the business world and in Illinois state government.

Jack grew up in Elmhurst, in the Chicago suburbs. He graduated from York High School and holds both a Masters’ degree in business from the University of Chicago with a specialization in finance as well as a Masters’ degree in international relations from the University of Chicago. He also completed a semester of graduate studies at Yonsei University in South Korea. He is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Illinois at Champaign.

Jack is an involved community leader, father and husband. He and his wife Kathy have three children; Emily - 8, Michael - 6, and Katie - born December of 2004.