Ryan Opens Office For Southern Illinois

MARION -- Governor George H. Ryan today officially opened a new Office of the Governor in Williamson County to better serve the people of Southern Illinois and to aggressively promote economic development throughout the region.

"As a candidate for governor, I pledged to open this office so that the needs of people south of Interstate 70 can be heard just as clearly as the concerns of people who live in Central Illinois or Northern Illinois," Ryan said.

This is the first time since the State Capitol moved from Kaskaskia to Vandalia that the governor has had an office in Southern Illinois.

Ryan also has establish a satellite office for Southern Illinois in Mount Vernon that will be open two or three days each week.

The offices will concentrate on promoting economic development in the region and increasing tourism in Southern Illinois.

"This office is an exciting part of our plan to ignite the economy, to bring jobs to a willing workforce, and respond to the needs of Southern Illinois," the governor added.

The Southern Illinois Governor's Offices will be under the direction of former state Rep. Robert C. Winchester, who was appointed by Ryan on April 1st as Deputy Chief of Staff for Southern Illinois.

"The new Southern Illinois office will serve 40 counties and cut red tape," Winchester said. "Our office will handle transportation, economic and legislative issues to make it easier to live and work in southern Illinois."

Contact information for the Southern Illinois Governor's offices:

Southern Illinois Governor's Office: Marion

1107 W. DeYoung
Suite 10
Marion, IL 62959

Phone: 618/993-7072
Fax: 618/993-7290

Southern Illinois Governor's Office: Mt. Vernon
Municipal West Building
200 Potomac Blvd.
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864

Phone: 618/244-8333
Fax: 618/244-8335