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Effingham, IL-(Effingham Radio)- The Effingham County Chamber announces the appointment of Jeff Fritchtnitch, Ed. S., as the Interim President & CEO, effective immediately. This decision follows the resignation announcement of Lucinda Hart, who will continue her tenure with the Chamber through the end of May.
“I am honored to step into the role of Interim President & CEO for the Chamber. I am committed to guiding our organization through this crucial transition and am eager to contribute to our continued success.” – Jeff Fritchtnitch
Serving 34 years in public education and serving as a teacher, coach, associate principal, principal, and superintendent for his final 18 years, Mr. Jeff Fritchtnitch retired as the Superintendent of the Mt. Vernon Township High School District #201 in 2020. Locally, he was the Superintendent of the Altamont Community Unit School District #10, where he served as Superintendent for 10 years.
Jeff has served on several educational related committees and boards holding the position of president for many of them during his tenure. He has been a presenter and facilitator at professional conferences, such as Illinois Association of School Administrators, National Association of School Administrators, as well as leading strategic planning for some area businesses, businesses throughout Illinois and several other states. He also has been an inspirational speaker to school districts, student organizations and businesses throughout the Midwest.
Jeff has a longstanding connection with the Effingham County Chamber, having commenced his tenure as Workforce Development Committee Chair in 2012, a position he held for two years. Throughout this period, he maintained his involvement with the Committee while concurrently assuming the role of Chairman on the inaugural Effingham Regional Career Academy Board. Furthermore, Jeff assumed the esteemed position of Effingham County Chamber Board Chair in 2016. In 2021, Jeff transitioned to the Chamber staff as the Workforce Development Director, concentrating his efforts on implementing EC-JOBS and various other workforce initiatives.
Jeff earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Eastern Illinois University. Concurrently with his teaching career, he pursued and obtained his Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Governors State University. Later, while serving as a principal, he furthered his education by completing his Master’s Degree in Educational Specialists from Eastern Illinois University. Jeff’s commitment to professional development is also evidenced by his participation as an Illinois School for Advanced Leadership Fellow.
Dr. Austin Cheney, the 2024 Board Chair, expressed confidence in Jeff Fritchtnitch’s ability to lead the Chamber during this interim period. “Jeff has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication during his tenure with the Chamber. We believe his experience and vision will be invaluable in steering the Chamber through this transition and look forward to working closely with Jeff to continue advancing the Chamber’s mission.”
The Chamber Board is currently in the process of seeking a permanent replacement. As details are solidified, updates will be promptly shared on the Chamber website: Effinghamcountychamber.com.
About the Effingham County Chamber
Founded in 1917, the Effingham County Chamber is the county’s leading advocate and champion for business. The Chamber works to create a climate of growth and success in our community by providing leadership opportunities as well as volunteer programs and business-building initiatives that focus on the critical priorities of Effingham County businesses. By leveraging the support, talent, and resources of our members, the Effingham County Chamber is leading efforts to achieve business success and community growth.
image/jpeg jeff-fritchtnitch.jpg
Under an agreement, negotiated and signed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, with Bally’s laying out the company’s commitments to the city, the company was provided protections if the city were to legalize video gaming.
Bally’s must provide two separate, $2 million annual payments to the city categorized as “direct impact” and “indirect impact” fees, but those payments are open to renegotiation under certain scenarios, including if the city legalizes video gambling.
Bally’s declined to comment for this story, but Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim discussed the potential for legalizing video gambling in Chicago during a Global Gaming Business Magazine podcast released yesterday, saying “that would be tough.”
“Our host community agreement with the city does not allow it. So there’s a lot of hoops to jump through for that to happen,” Kim said. “We’re not generally opposed to the expansion of gaming; this is Bally’s Corporation, we believe that gaming is good and, obviously, we participate in a lot of expansion.”
Kim went on to say “the city and ourselves are lock-step aligned to make sure that the rollout of the (permanent Bally’s casino) is perfect” and that a tourist-attracting casino in Chicago can have a bigger impact on the city than video gambling.
“(Video gambling terminals) can generate revenue, but they can’t generate jobs, they can’t generate tourism,” Kim said. “If there’s a need for revenues, there’s different ways to deliver expansion.”
The city’s agreement with Bally’s, called the host community agreement, or HCA, lays out parameters for the separate $2 million annual payments to the city. At the time the casino was approved, city officials said those payments were needed to support community groups and to cover an increased police presence around Bally’s temporary casino at Medinah Temple as well as its future permanent location in River West.
But those payments would be “subject to good-faith renegotiation” if a second casino was permitted in the city, if gambling taxes were increased or if new forms of gambling were permitted in the city.
“The city is looking to engage a consultant to study relevant gaming issues that may impact the city, including the impact of video gaming on potential new revenues and the Bally’s contract in response to multiple requests from aldermen to study the issue,” the mayor’s office told Crain's in a written statement.
The statement said the city will “consider the relevant provisions of the HCA” when considering any future decisions about legalizing video gambling.
“The hiring of a consultant and the city’s study of the impact of video gaming machines (or any other form of gaming for that matter) does not trigger renegotiation of the HCA. This is simply a fact-finding exercise currently and is not indicative of the city’s position on the matter,” the statement said.
An ally of Johnson, Ald. William Hall, 6th, who leads a City Council subcommittee on revenue, previously told Crain’s video gambling could increase revenue to the city without affecting Bally’s.
“The people who would go to the local bar to have a little video gaming fun are not the same people that would go to a casino, because they don’t like the casino atmosphere,” he said.
The Johnson administration issued a request for qualifications, or RFQ, to hire a gaming consultant to provide an updated analysis to the city on the revenue impact of legalizing video poker and slot machines.
The deadline for RFQ submissions is May 9. The city wants the consultant to “evaluate the city’s existing gaming landscape including an analysis of market size, market trends, competitive landscape and threats to the market,” according to the RFQ.
The evaluation would include the “potential impact of future gaming expansion” on the city’s budget and “assess the impact of legalization of video gaming terminals, iGaming, or any other form of gaming that may arise in the city.”
Johnson, like his then-opponent Paul Vallas, supported legalizing video gambling when campaigning for mayor, telling WBEZ in a statement he was “a supporter of legalized video gambling as an important revenue source for critical investments in public safety, transportation, housing and other public accommodations.”
Under an agreement, negotiated and signed by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration, with Bally’s laying out the company’s commitments to the city, the company was provided protections if the city were to legalize video gaming.
Bally’s must provide two separate, $2 million annual payments to the city categorized as “direct impact” and “indirect impact” fees, but those payments are open to renegotiation under certain scenarios, including if the city legalizes video gambling.
Bally’s declined to comment for this story, but Bally’s Chairman Soo Kim discussed the potential for legalizing video gambling in Chicago during a Global Gaming Business Magazine podcast released yesterday, saying “that would be tough.”
“Our host community agreement with the city does not allow it. So there’s a lot of hoops to jump through for that to happen,” Kim said. “We’re not generally opposed to the expansion of gaming; this is Bally’s Corporation, we believe that gaming is good and, obviously, we participate in a lot of expansion.”
Kim went on to say “the city and ourselves are lock-step aligned to make sure that the rollout of the (permanent Bally’s casino) is perfect” and that a tourist-attracting casino in Chicago can have a bigger impact on the city than video gambling.
“(Video gambling terminals) can generate revenue, but they can’t generate jobs, they can’t generate tourism,” Kim said. “If there’s a need for revenues, there’s different ways to deliver expansion.”
The city’s agreement with Bally’s, called the host community agreement, or HCA, lays out parameters for the separate $2 million annual payments to the city. At the time the casino was approved, city officials said those payments were needed to support community groups and to cover an increased police presence around Bally’s temporary casino at Medinah Temple as well as its future permanent location in River West.
But those payments would be “subject to good-faith renegotiation” if a second casino was permitted in the city, if gambling taxes were increased or if new forms of gambling were permitted in the city.
“The city is looking to engage a consultant to study relevant gaming issues that may impact the city, including the impact of video gaming on potential new revenues and the Bally’s contract in response to multiple requests from aldermen to study the issue,” the mayor’s office told Crain's in a written statement.
The statement said the city will “consider the relevant provisions of the HCA” when considering any future decisions about legalizing video gambling.
“The hiring of a consultant and the city’s study of the impact of video gaming machines (or any other form of gaming for that matter) does not trigger renegotiation of the HCA. This is simply a fact-finding exercise currently and is not indicative of the city’s position on the matter,” the statement said.
An ally of Johnson, Ald. William Hall, 6th, who leads a City Council subcommittee on revenue, previously told Crain’s video gambling could increase revenue to the city without affecting Bally’s.
“The people who would go to the local bar to have a little video gaming fun are not the same people that would go to a casino, because they don’t like the casino atmosphere,” he said.
The Johnson administration issued a request for qualifications, or RFQ, to hire a gaming consultant to provide an updated analysis to the city on the revenue impact of legalizing video poker and slot machines.
The deadline for RFQ submissions is May 9. The city wants the consultant to “evaluate the city’s existing gaming landscape including an analysis of market size, market trends, competitive landscape and threats to the market,” according to the RFQ.
The evaluation would include the “potential impact of future gaming expansion” on the city’s budget and “assess the impact of legalization of video gaming terminals, iGaming, or any other form of gaming that may arise in the city.”
Johnson, like his then-opponent Paul Vallas, supported legalizing video gambling when campaigning for mayor, telling WBEZ in a statement he was “a supporter of legalized video gambling as an important revenue source for critical investments in public safety, transportation, housing and other public accommodations.”