20090325 PR - Fire Chief Tom McEllin appointed on March 24, 2009
Contact: David Niemeyer
Phone: (630) 368-5000
Fax: (630) 990-3000
1200 Oak Brook Drive
Oak Brook, IL 60523 Village of Oak Brook
Press Release
Village of Oak Brook Appoints New Fire Chief
Oak Brook, Illinois (March 25, 2009) – Tom McEllin, Deputy Fire Chief of the Village of Oak
Brook Fire Department was appointed by Village President John W. Craig and the Village Board of
Trustees at their March 24, 2009 Village Board meeting.
Tom McEllin takes the oath of office as Fire Chief at a swearing-in ceremony on Friday, March 27,
2009 at 3:30 PM in the Samuel E. Dean Board Room of the Butler Government Center, 1200 Oak
Brook Road, Oak Brook, Illinois.
McEllin began his firefighting career in 1977 with the United States Air Force. He was promoted to
Firefighter Crew Chief in 1979. He was named Airman of the Year for Chanute AFB in 1980. In 1981
he was honorably discharged from the Air Force and continued his firefighting career with the Oak
Brook Fire Department beginning in July. Through his career for the Village of Oak Brook, he has
served the village in many ways, including firefighter/engineer, EMT-Paramedic, fire inspector, Dive
Rescue Specialist, Water Rescue team coordinator and Division Training Coordinator, Technical
Rescue Specialist, Company Officer and Paid-on-Call training Officer. He possesses Associates of
Applied Science degrees in Fire Science and in Business Administration as well as a Bachelor’s degree
in Fire Science Management. He received his Master’s degree in Public Administration from Lewis
University in 2005. He has been the Deputy Chief of the Oak Brook Fire Department since 2005.
About the Village of Oak Brook:
Founded in 1958, the Village of Oak Brook is located 20 miles west of downtown Chicago and is in
proximity to the junction of Interstates 88, 294, and 290. The Village consists mostly of residential
subdivisions, with the exception of the Oak Brook Center shopping mall, other retail and office
properties along 22nd Street and Interstate 88. Oak Brook is the home of many corporate offices, most
notably, the world headquarters of McDonald’s Corporation and the service club organization Lions
Clubs International.