Mayor Rahm Emanuel today named Joe Deal as his Chief of Staff. Deal will replace Eileen Mitchell, who has served as Chief of Staff since August of 2015 and is stepping down to pursue other professional endeavors.

“Convincing Eileen to leave a successful career in the private sector to join my administration was a win for Chicago. From saving the city's pension funds and passing two budgets to negotiating a teacher's contract and reforming our public safety accountability system, Eileen has been a steady hand guiding our City’s progress," said Mayor Emanuel. "No matter what the issue was, no matter if it was the crack of dawn or the middle of the night, I could always count on two things - Eileen was already at her desk and managing what was needed. I can't thank her enough for her service to our City.”

"There's no one better able to pick up where Eileen left off and build on the progress we have made over the past five years than Joe Deal," said Mayor Emanuel. "Joe has a wealth of City experience and institutional knowledge, and most importantly he knows how to get things done. Joe has distinguished himself serving in my administration for the past five years, and he has my trust and confidence to serve our City as my Chief of Staff."

Deal has worked for the City for more than 17 years and is currently the Mayor’s First Deputy Chief of Staff, where he provides strategic guidance, oversight and agency coordination to ensure the effective implementation of the Mayor’s priorities. He previously served the Emanuel administration as the City’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) for three years, where he led more than 20 City departments and oversaw a number of critical major events, including the NFL Drafts, the Chicago Blackhawks Victory Parades and the City’s response to the historic February 2015 blizzard. He also served as Deputy COO during Mayor Emanuel’s first year in office in which he oversaw several key mayoral initiatives, including managed competition in the City’s recycling program, efficiency measures in refuse collection, a streamlining of the building permit process, and the development and implementation of Building a New Chicago, the Mayor’s $7 billion investment in the City’s core infrastructure.

“It is an honor for me to serve Mayor Emanuel in this capacity and lead an incredibly talented team as we continue our work enhancing the quality of life of all residents of Chicago. As I have done every day for the last 17 years, I look forward to committing myself every day to improving the City that I love and advancing the Mayor’s vision for Chicago.”

Deal also played key roles under Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration. As Assistant to the Mayor, he coordinated and implemented policies and programs related to the Great Lakes, water quality and sustainability. As Director of External Affairs, he was responsible for managing regional programs and the City’s key relationships with other municipalities. Prior to serving in the Mayor’s Office, he also worked in the City’s Department of Environment and the Office of Budget and Management.

Deal holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and a master’s degree from DePaul University. He lives in South Loop with his wife and daughter.

Deal will begin serving in his new role on December 1.

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