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Governor Quinn Makes Appointments to Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board


CHICAGO –(ENEWSPF)—December 27, 2013. Governor Pat Quinn today announced appointments to the state’s Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board. Today’s appointments fill each of the board’s seven positions and will continue the state’s implementation of the law.

“These appointees to the state’s Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board are highly qualified and committed individuals,” Governor Quinn said. “They represent communities across Illinois and they will carry out their duties diligently to protect public safety.”

The concealed carry law includes a provision that creates the Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board. The board is tasked with considering any objection to an applicant’s eligibility to obtain a license submitted by a law enforcement agency or the Department of State Police.

Each of the seven board members are appointed by the Governor and will serve until Jan. 12, 2015. After that point, terms on this board will last four years. Three board members must reside in the First Judicial District and one must reside in each of the other Judicial Districts. In addition, the board has specific requirements for membership including high-level judicial, legal, investigative and mental health experience.

Appointments made by the Governor include:

Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board

First Judicial District

Chair Robinzina Bryant of Flossmoor spent more than a decade (from 1997 to 2007) as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Chicago and St. Louis, where she investigated counterterrorism, white collar crime, bank fraud, wire and mail fraud and served as Division Recruiter and an instructor at the FBI’s Citizens Academy. She is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, American Bar Association, and the Christian Legal Society. She currently runs a private law practice that handles probate, estate planning and guardianships for minors and people with disabilities. She holds a J.D. from Drake University Law School, an M.S. in Education from Illinois State University, and a B.A. in Social Work from Illinois State University.

James Lewis Cavanaugh of Winnetka is a Professor of Psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center, behavioral risk analyst with Cavanaugh Associates, and served in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps from 1971 to 1973. He has consulted with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, the Illinois State Police and the Chicago Police Department to analyze behavioral risk. He has previously served on the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission and the Commission to Revise the Mental Health Code. He holds an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School and a B.A. from Williams College.

Virginia Wright of Palatine served as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for 24 years, working in New York, New Haven and Chicago, where she conducted high-level investigations, specializing in white collar crime, bank fraud and financial institution fraud. She received the Award of Excellence from the President’s Council on Integrity and Efficiency in 2007. She holds a B.A. from Temple University and also studied at Winona State University.

Second Judicial District

Sergio Acosta of Elmhurst is a partner with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP and a former Chief of the General Crimes Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois. He also served as Assistant State Attorney in Miami, Florida, where he was Chief of the Felony Division. He has also served on the City of Chicago’s Ethics Reform Task Force and as Administrator of the Illinois Gaming Board. He holds a J.D. from George Washington University School of Law and a B.A. from DePaul University.

Third Judicial District

John Diwik of Naperville is a Criminal Investigator with the Amtrak Office of the Inspector General and former Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, where he investigated crimes including mortgage fraud, bank fraud, bankruptcy fraud and public corruption. He holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut and a B.S. from Northeastern University.

Fourth Judicial District

Patrick John Chesley of Springfield is an attorney in private practice and served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Central District of Illinois for almost 30 years where he prosecuted white collar crimes and was antiterrorism coordinator for the Central District of Illinois for six years. He also served in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, specializing in environmental violations. He holds a J.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign.

Fifth Judicial District

G. Patrick Murphy of Energy is a former U.S. District Court Judge on the Southern District of Illinois, having been appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1997 and going on to serve as Chief Judge from 2000 to 2007. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1966 to 1969. He holds a J.D. from the Southern Illinois University School of Law at Carbondale and a B.S. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

As a result of Governor Quinn’s efforts to make the executive appointment process more accessible and transparent, residents who are interested in serving on boards and commissions can now apply online. For more information on all of the state’s boards and commissions, or to apply to serve on a board, please visit Appointments.Illinois.gov.

Source: illinois.gov


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