EDA hires temporary administrative contractor, reassesses executive director role

The Cook County/Grand Marais Economic Development Authority has hired North Shore Development Co. to provide administrative support as the EDA Board undergoes a review and assessment of the executive director position. The executive director position has been vacant since July 3, following the resignation of Heidi Krampitz.

North Shore Development Co. is owned by Jason Hale, the former executive director of the Cook County Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA). Theresa Bajda, who served as EDA executive director before Krampitz, works for Hale and provides support on operational and administrative matters. 

Following a special meeting held on July 3, the EDA Board created a committee to develop and finalize a contract with North Shore Development Co. The special committee members include Peter Clissold, Mark Shackleton, and Howard Hedstrom. The contract with North Shore Development Co. is for six months, with a commitment of 20 hours per week.  

During the July 15 meeting, Clissold said that the scope of the administrative tasks included in the contract is “about keeping the EDA machine running.”

As part of its administrative tasks, North Shore Development Co. will accept grant applications, reimburse grant expenditures, oversee the Superior National Golf Course FEMA grant, draft resolutions, create agendas and board packets, and handle other administrative responsibilities.

Clissold said during the meeting that there is currently “deferred maintenance” in the administrative space, and North Shore Development Co. and the EDA special committee will work together to resolve the issues. He said the special committee will also focus on looking ahead to “map out what the plan is for the next few months.”

Before the EDA Board moves forward with hiring a new executive director, the EDA personnel committee is reviewing the roles and responsibilities of the position. The personnel committee consists of Dave Mills, Tracy Benson, and Alex Beebe-Giudice.

During the July 15 meeting, Beebe-Giudice provided an overview of recent discussions among the personnel committee to the EDA Board. He said the main focus is on how the EDA Board can recruit the right person for the job. The committee is examining what has and hasn’t worked in the past, exploring ways to broaden the candidate pool, and identifying how to provide professional growth opportunities, among other things.

Benson added that the personnel committee discussed using North Shore Development Co. for the hiring process of a new executive director when the time comes. Clissold said he will speak with Hale about the potential for an expanded scope of work and will include that in the conversation.

The personnel committee will continue to explore and study how best to make adjustments to the executive director position in the coming month, before beginning the recruitment process for another executive director. Instead of the traditional method of hiring an executive director, Mills said the committee may also consider contracting the position. The EDA will explore the option with North Shore Development Co. and evaluate other potential opportunities.

Shackleton said he liked the idea of a contracted executive director position, but the downside may be the loss of the “local face, the one that everyone knows.” But, he said, “It might solve the revolving door problem.”

Benson added that the past three executive directors who resigned did not leave the position for the same reasons. “Not all three times were for the same reason, so if that’s of any reassurance.”

She said, “It would be one thing if it was consistent. But it wasn’t. And it certainly wasn’t in this last.”

Beebe-Giudice also shared with the EDA Board how the personnel committee is exploring training opportunities for board members and ways to improve and structure committee tasks and processes. In addition, he said, the committee is “Working on some onboarding resources for existing and new board members.”

Find a link to a recording of the July 15 EDA Board meeting here.

Kalli Hawkins July 30, 2025