Afternoon Briefing: Aldermen confirm mayor's ally to the City Council
Nine Chicago Housing Authority senior leaders received more than $787,000 collectively in separation agreement payouts over the last five years, including two who had received written warnings from Tracey Scott, the agency's former CEO.
A Tribune analysis of CHA records shows that each of the nine received at least two months of compensation at the salary level they had on their last day of work. Six of the agreements were signed between August 2024 and early March 2025.
Here's what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.
Aldermen confirm Mayor Brandon Johnson's ally to the City Council
In a 32-11 vote, City Council members voted to approve Cook County Commissioner Anthony Quezada as alderman of the 35th Ward after his predecessor, Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, resigned last month to lead the Chicago Park District. Read more here.
Backyard chickens might not crack high egg prices, but Chicago-area owners say they're worth it
Though experienced chicken owners caution that the cost of raising chickens might cancel out any egg savings at the supermarket, they encourage the public to give the hobby a try. Read more here.
DePaul mens' basketball coach Chris Holtmann sells Ohio home for $3.5M
$2.5M Lakeview home listed by former Cubs player Kyle Hendricks goes under contract
Roommates in Rockford, these Chicago Blackhawks prospects shared everything — including each other's burdens
Rockford IceHogs forwards Gavin Hayes and Samuel Savoie have to work together on the ice, but the roommates also had to reach an off-ice accord on a very important subject: food. Read more here.
More top sports stories:
3 takeaways as the Chicago Bulls creep closer to 8th place in the Eastern Conference with a win
Column: IHSA addresses issues with multiplier waiver and success factor. The solutions appear to be a win-win.
M'daKhan, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Bridgeview, specializes in great halal smoked and grilled meats, inspired by lifetimes of backyard barbecues in Little Palestine. Read more here.
More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:
U.S. stocks are falling in a manic Monday after President Donald Trump doubled down on his tariffs, despite seeing how much Wall Street wants him to do the opposite.
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Forbes
14 minutes ago
- Forbes
Board Dysfunction Is On The Rise—And 4 Ways To Mitigate It
It's a long-standing problem for companies of all types and sizes: a dysfunctional board of directors. As many as an estimated 25% of boards are dysfunctional and, given today's politicized environment with organizations facing economic uncertainty and escalating tariffs and trade wars, the problem could get worse. Board dysfunction has become so urgent, in fact, I was invited by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) to address this issue at their recent seminar in Chicago. Based on what I heard at NACD, it is clear that many organizations are focused on ways to improve the working relationship between boards and CEOs. Clashes between CEOs and their boards are common, and the biggest ones make headlines. One legendary conflict was between Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and his board, which fired him in 1985 because of his autocratic and demanding manner; 11 years later, Apple brought him back to rebuild the company. More recently, in late 2024, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger stepped down after clashing with his board over his turnaround plan that reportedly was not producing results fast enough. Fortunately, conflicts don't have to reach the crisis stage. Here are four steps every organization can take to minimize dysfunction and establish a healthy working relationship between the CEO and the board. 1. Setting Clear Expectations The first step is to set clear expectations for the roles of the CEO and the board. Management manages and the board governs. It really is that simple. But simple does not mean obvious. Many people join a board without a specific understanding or training of what the job involves. In addition, many board directors are current and former CEOs who are used to running a company, rather than acting in an advisory capacity. Complicating matters, some CEOs expect the board to act more as a rubberstamp committee, instead of digging in and asking tough questions of management. Without an appreciation of the balance their respective roles require, no one should be surprised that CEOs and boards end up in conflict. An example is what happened to a friend of mine after being invited to join the board of a private, family-owned company. At his first board meeting, management discussed a company they wanted to acquire. This is an area in which my friend has a lot of experience, so he offered his opinion as to why the acquisition did not make sense to him. The CEO, who is also the founder, told him, 'That's fine. You can vote against it. But since I own more than 50 percent of the company, I'm obviously going to do whatever I want to do.' After that interaction, there was nothing my friend could do to change that dynamic; as a result, he resigned. 2. Being Accountable As A CEO Means Minimizing Surprises When expectations are set and clearly communicated, the CEO and the board can hold each other accountable. For CEOs, this means understanding the board is their boss. For new chief executives, in particular, this perspective can be challenging. From one role in the company to the next, they only had one boss. That boss was someone who knew the company well and probably held the position that they now occupy. At the CEO level, everything changes. The CEO no longer has one boss, but rather eight, ten, twelve, or however many directors serve on the board of directors. To do their job diligently and act in the best interest of shareholders, directors expect to hear from the CEO on a regular basis. That means updates on the company's operational performance, its strategic direction, leadership and talent development, and succession planning. For example, when I became CEO of Baxter International, a $12 billion health care company, the board made it clear that they wanted to be informed about everything—from new opportunities to emerging challenges. As one board member told me, 'Never surprise me, Harry. I don't want to be driving my car and hear news about Baxter on the radio that I wasn't aware of. Nor do I want to be at a dinner party and have someone say to me, 'Did you hear what Baxter is doing?' If that ever happens, that could be your last day as CEO.' 3. Acknowledging The Board Doesn't Run The Company The flip side of accountability is ensuring that board members do not overstep their responsibilities, especially in the day-to-day operations of the company. While it's perfectly acceptable to challenge management, the board cannot decide that they're going to get more deeply involved in running a particular division of the company. Here's a scenario that's all too common. A division president wants to make an acquisition, but the CEO decides it's not the best move for a variety of reasons. Instead of everyone accepting the decision and moving on, a board member reaches out to the division president to discuss the issue. The division president is more than happy to have an ally on the board and eagerly tells the director why this acquisition is important and what a mistake it would be if the CEO does not buy this company. The more they talk, the more convinced they become that the board should pressure the CEO to make the deal — and, who knows, maybe this division president should be running the company. This is a blatant disregard for the boundaries that are necessary for good governance. The board member is not running the company, the CEO is. And if other members of the management team are doing an end run around the CEO to get to the board, that could set off a leadership crisis. 4. Creating Alignment In Polarized Times If the very nature of CEO-board relations wasn't fraught enough, there are even more reasons behind dysfunction these days. Political polarization is creating fractures within all groups, including boards of directors, on any number of social, economic, and geopolitical issues. Compounding matters, social media creates the perception that an immediate response is required, instead of taking the time to carefully think things through. This is a recipe for significant dysfunction, since there is likely a divergence of strong opinion within the board, the leadership team, and employees on most issues. If they are values-based leaders, however, the CEO, board members, and other executives will seek to understand an issue from multiple perspectives. At the same time, they are also clear that they don't need to make a public statement on every issue, particularly if it is outside the company's area of expertise. For example, when I was chair and CEO of Baxter and chairman of the Healthcare Leadership Council's Executive Task Force on the Uninsured, I testified before Congress on the need to provide coverage for uninsured people in America. The board, my leadership team, and I were all aligned on using the company's influence to draw attention to this important issue. Addressing board dysfunction and mitigating conflicts with the CEO are daunting tasks, but they are vital to the success of an organization. Only when CEOs and board members understand their respective roles, have clear expectations, and are mutually accountable can they forge a healthy working relationship.
CNN
44 minutes ago
- CNN
The dangers of sporting celebrations
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CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
The dangers of sporting celebrations
The dangers of sporting celebrations NASCAR Driver Connor Zilisch broke his collarbone while celebrating his win at Watkins Glen over the weekend. CNN Sports' Don Riddell takes a look at other athletes who've injured themselves while celebrating. 01:03 - Source: CNN Vertical Trending Now 16 videos The dangers of sporting celebrations NASCAR Driver Connor Zilisch broke his collarbone while celebrating his win at Watkins Glen over the weekend. CNN Sports' Don Riddell takes a look at other athletes who've injured themselves while celebrating. 01:03 - Source: CNN Insect crawls on during European tour Singer, dancer and actress Jennifer Lopez was performing in Almaty, Kazakhstan when an uninvited guest joined her on stage. She casually dismissed the intruder, a long-legged insect, and thanked her fans. 00:28 - Source: CNN Meet the winner of 2025's World's Ugliest Dog Contest The World's Ugliest Dog Contest named Petunia, a hairless bulldog, the winner of this year's competition in California on Friday. The prize was $5,000 and a merchandise deal with Mug Root Beer. 00:30 - Source: CNN A relic of the 90s and early 2000s, AOL ending its dial-up internet service AOL, an internet pioneer that brought millions of Americans online for the first time, is discontinuing its dial-up service next month. AOL posted a statement saying it 'routinely evaluates its products and has decided to discontinue Dial-up Internet' on September 30, ending more than three decades of operations. 00:33 - Source: CNN Masked thieves steal $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls Masked thieves stole about $7,000 worth of Labubu dolls from a Los Angeles-area store on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are investigating the incident. 00:44 - Source: CNN Intense storm rips roof off prison Hundreds of prisoners from the Nebraska State Penitentiary were displaced after a violent storm damaged two housing units on Saturday, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. No injuries were reported, the department said. 00:27 - Source: CNN Paris locals say tourism surge is 'an invasion' Paris is no stranger to tourists taking photos of its historic landmarks. Tourists taking photos of themselves in front of the landmarks for social media? Well, that's changed the game. As the French capital sees a surge in international tourism, CNN's Melissa Bell spoke with locals in Montmartre who told CNN they worry that the large crowds are leading to the 'Disney-fication' of their neighborhood. 01:27 - Source: CNN Meet the oldest panda living outside of China At 35 years old, Xin Xin is a legend as the oldest giant panda living outside of China. CNN's Valeria León visited Mexico City's Chapultepec Park Zoo – where Xin Xin lives – to see why thousands of people visit the panda each day. 01:14 - Source: CNN See what happens when a robot competes with courting fiddler crabs Researchers test fiddler crab mating strategies by introducing a robot with a waving claw, dubbed 'Wavy Dave.' CNN speaks to one of the scientists about the study and some surprising moments caught on camera. 01:50 - Source: CNN Harry Enten samples new ketchup smoothie CNN's Harry Enten gives a taste test for the ketchup smoothie collaboration between Heinz Ketchup and Smoothie King. 00:52 - Source: CNN See statue unveiling for Tom Brady at Gillette Stadium The New England Patriots unveil a statue for seven-time Super Bowl champion and retired quarterback Tom Brady at Gillette Stadium. 00:32 - Source: CNN Dinosaur footprints found after Texas floods Videos and photos show dinosaur footprints uncovered in the Sandy Creek area in Travis County, Texas following the catastrophic July 4th floods. Experts say the creek where the prints were found is usually dry but rose to 20 feet during the floods, and that the prints are approximately 110 to 115 million years old. 00:51 - Source: CNN Water slide malfunction on Royal Caribbean cruise Videos show a hole in a broken water slide on the Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas cruise ship. Acrylic glass broke as a guest passed through the slide. A spokesperson said in a statement to CNN that the guest is being treated for injuries. 00:26 - Source: CNN CNN contributor sounds off on the big issue of sex toys thrown at WNBA games CNN Contributor Cari Champion says that WNBA players deserve respect in the wake of sex toys being thrown on the court during games. 01:21 - Source: CNN Iconic astronaut of Apollo 13 dies at 97 Famed NASA astronaut Jim Lovell, who commanded the harrowing Apollo 13 mission that was forced to abandon a lunar landing attempt in 1970, has died. He was 97. 00:45 - Source: CNN Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband Brandon Blackstock dead at 48 Brandon Blackstock, a talent manager and former husband of singer Kelly Clarkson, has died following a battle with cancer. He was 48. 01:11 - Source: CNN
