Gov. Pritzker Announces Five Appointments to Boards and Commissions

Illinois State Toll Highway Authority

Melissa Neddermeyer will serve as a Member on the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.* Neddermeyer is the Village President of the Village of Willow Springs, where she has lowered the Village’s debt, increased services for residents, enhanced infrastructure and road systems, and strengthened regional relationships. A practicing attorney for nearly twenty years, she is the sole practitioner and owner of Neddermeyer Law Offices. She is also an active member of the Southwest Conference of Mayors and the West Central Municipal Conference. Neddermeyer earned a Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University and Juris Doctor from Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Arnaldo Rivera will continue to serve as Chair of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.* Rivera currently serves as Navy Pier’s Chief Administrative and Equity Officer, where he oversees the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the organization. His previous roles include Chief Operating Officer of Chicago Public Schools, Senior Advisor with After School Matters, Deputy Chief of Staff for Education at the Office of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Chief Operating Officer of The Chicago Public Education Fund. Additionally, Rivera serves on the Board of Directors of the Golden Apple Foundation, the Board of Trustees of the Chicago History Museum, and the Leadership Council of A Better Chicago. Rivera earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science from Northwestern University.

Scott Paddock will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.* Paddock is the Senior Vice President of External Affairs at Silver Cross Hospital, where he leads more than 200 employees across marketing, communications, community programming, and fundraising. Previously, he served as the President of the Chicagoland Speedway and Route 66 Raceway at NASCAR and Director of Gatorade Sports Marketing with PepsiCo. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Special Olympics Illinois, Silver Cross Hospital, and the Will County Center for Economic Development. Paddock earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame.

Gary Perinar will continue to serve as a Member of the Illinois State Tollway Authority.* Perinar is the Second General Vice President of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and a third-generation union leader. He began his career in 1978 as an apprentice with Carpenters Local 174 in Joliet where he eventually served as President. He went on to hold a nearly thirty-year tenure with the Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council, where he served in various roles until he was elected Executive Secretary and Treasurer in 2018. Additionally, Perinar was the 2018 recipient of the George Meany Award from the Boy Scouts of America Pathway to Adventure Council in recognition of his significant contributions to community youth. Perinar is a graduate of Joliet West High School. 

State Universities Retirement System Board of Trustees

Jeanine Jiganti will serve as a Member of the State Universities Retirement System Board of Trustees.* Jiganti is an accomplished executive with extensive experience in legal, compliance, and regulatory affairs across the public and private sectors. Most recently, she served as the Chief Regulatory Legal Officer at Walmart and General Counsel of Walmart Healthcare, where she navigated complex regulations and drove strategic legal initiatives. Previously, Jiganti was General Counsel for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and Chief Compliance Officer at both Takeda Pharmaceuticals and DaVita, where she oversaw global compliance programs. Jiganti earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Colorado and Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

* Appointments pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.

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