Ron Huberman is the former Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Public Schools system, the third largest public school system in the United States. Huberman oversaw a budget of over $6 billion. [1] Prior to that, Huberman served as President of the Chicago Transit Authority.
| Ron Huberman | |
|---|---|
| Ron Huberman at Harper High School, 2009 | |
| C.E.O. of the Chicago Public Schools | |
| In office January 28, 2009 – November 29, 2010 |
|
| Appointed by | Richard M. Daley |
| Preceded by | Arne Duncan |
| Succeeded by | Terry Mazany |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 26, 1971 |
| Residence | Chicago, IL |
| Alma mater | University of Chicago (MBA, MSW) University of Wisconsin (BA) |
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Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1971, Huberman is the son of Holocaust survivors. Huberman and his family moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee when his father, a cancer researcher, began working at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He moved to the Chicago area for his high school years, where he came out as gay at age 15.[1] Huberman later attended the University of Wisconsin, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English. While working as a Chicago police officer, Huberman attended night classes at the University of Chicago and finished with master’s degrees in both Business Administration and Social Service Administration. Huberman was a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow and an Albert Schweitzer Fellow while at the University of Chicago.
Upon graduation from the University of Wisconsin, Huberman entered the Chicago Police Academy and began his career in public service. Initially deployed as a patrolman in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, Huberman also served as a bicycle officer and as a tactical gang team officer. In partnership with the Illinois State Police, Huberman created and implemented the department’s Citizen and Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting (CLEAR)[2] system, one of the nation’s most progressive[3] criminal data and intelligence gathering systems. Huberman was quickly promoted to Assistant Deputy Superintendent, one of the youngest officers to reach exempt rank in the history of the Chicago Police Department.
In 2004, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Huberman as Executive Director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC). Tasked with protecting the city from terrorist attacks, public health crises, natural disasters, and responding to the city’s 21,000+ daily 911 calls, Huberman developed the state-of-the-art Operations Center[4] within OEMC to help city services conduct a coordinated response to disaster scenarios. Huberman helped implement Chicago’s cutting edge camera system to help boost the capacity of law enforcement in some of the city’s high-crime areas.
Mayor Daley brought Huberman to City Hall to serve as his Chief of Staff,[5] in 2005. As Chief of Staff, Huberman implemented a progressive system of performance management that stressed results and accountability for each of the city’s 49 departments and agencies. Borrowing heavily from the private sector, Huberman’s performance management system created a more transparent process for city management and improved service delivery. Similar to the New York City Police Department’s COMPSTAT system, Huberman conducted weekly performance management sessions that required each department to report on their key metrics to ensure accountability.
After serving as Mayor Daley’s Chief of Staff Huberman was appointed President of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) in 2007. Huberman greatly improved customer communication, oversaw significant investment in new railcar and bus technology and brought his performance management process to the agency to help improve the rider experience. During Huberman’s time at the CTA, the percentage of the system’s “slow zones”, the bane of the ‘L’ commuter’s experience, decreased while ridership levels reached its highest[6] level since 1992.
After President Barack Obama’s appointment of then-CPS CEO Arne Duncan to be United States Secretary of Education, Mayor Daley selected Huberman to head CPS on January 28, 2009. Upon appointing Huberman, Mayor Daley stated, “I have utmost faith in him. I can go to sleep at night, and just close my eyes. I don't have to worry about Ron Huberman.” Huberman highlighted teacher retention and recruitment, safety and security, and innovative teaching methods as his key strategic initiatives.[7] An advocate of year round schooling, one of Huberman’s first actions was to add an additional 76 schools to Track E (year round) status[8] in an effort to maintain educational continuity and engagement over the summer months. In July 2009, Huberman announced the elimination of 550 central office positions to save $100 million.[9]
In 2010, Huberman announced that he would step down from his position to spend more time with his family.[10]
Huberman is known for his hands-on management style and fast pace. Huberman was an avowed ‘L’ rider during his tenure at the CTA. Huberman often removed unruly and disorderly passengers from ‘L’ cars he was riding in, one in particular[11] after the rider accosted a female passenger. That particular move was met with significant support from the blogosphere which Huberman closely engaged with while at the CTA.
Huberman also serves as a director or trustee on several boards including Chicago's Rush Hospital, the Children's First Fund and the Renaissance School Fund amongst others.