March 10, 2026

Dear Members of the Authority:

Auditor General Appointment

I am deeply grateful to Governor Pritzker, Chair Hobert, Vice Chair Nava, Audit Chair Juracek, and volunteer Members and staff for the opportunities that I have had with the Authority since August of 2007.  It was a privilege to work with each one of you.  I am humbled to announce that on February 19, 2026, the General Assembly’s Legislative Audit Commission voted on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to recommend me as the next Auditor General of the State of Illinois.  Senate Joint Resolution 55 was adopted on February 25, 2026, formally appointing me as Auditor General effective May 1, 2026.  I am humbled by this opportunity to continue to serve the people of Illinois.  I expect my last day to be April 15, 2026, and look forward to seeing you all at next month’s meeting.  We are working with the Governor’s Office to identify potential candidates for Executive Director and exploring options for an interim Executive Director. We will update the Board when we have more information.  Last month, the Members passed a resolution that ensures operational continuity during the unavailability of an Executive Director.

This Month’s Agenda

Welcome to the March 10, 2026, meeting of the members of the Illinois Finance Authority.  New Business Items for consideration and approval this month include bond resolutions on behalf of Gotion Illinois New Energy Inc., Presbyterian Homes, d/b/a Presbyterian Living, Westminster Place and Lake Forest Place, LLC, and Intrinsic Schools.  Also on the agenda for consideration this month are two administrative resolutions appointing a Treasurer and adopting policies related to non-physical meeting attendance.

Legislative Updates

  • IFA Ethics Bill: SB3247 & HB5407
    • Amendment to increase the term of the Executive Director from one to two years.
  • Fire Truck Loans Bill: SB3018 & HB5412
    • This bill is out of committee and is currently pending in the Senate.
  • First-Time Farmer Bill: SB3019 & HB5419
    • This bill is currently pending in both the House and Senate.

Annual Internship Program

Last month, we announced that we were in the beginning stages of relaunching the Annual Internship Program.  I am excited to announce the opportunity was posted last week, and the Authority is accepting applications until March 27, 2026.  We have expanded the program to include more of the Authority’s functions to attract a more diverse applicant pool.  We ask that you share this opportunity with your networks and anyone who may be interested.  We look forward to reviewing applications in April and welcoming new interns over the next few months.  The posting can be found here.

Respectfully,

Chris Meister
Executive Director