Carrie Marckess to Serve as Village of Oak Park Finance Director
Published on February 27, 2025
Following a comprehensive national search, Village Manager Kevin J. Jackson has named Carrie Marckess, CPFO as Finance Director for the Village of Oak Park. She begins her role on Mon., March 3.
“We undertook an extensive search to fill this important vacancy within our organization and Carrie really stood out during the process,” said Jackson. “Her municipal government experience and strong commitment to fiscal stewardship and responsibility will be invaluable for our Oak Park community. I am elated to welcome her to our team and I am confident that with her leadership and expertise, the Finance Department will continue to uphold the highest standards of financial management, transparency and accountability as we remain committed to sustainable growth.”
“I am honored to be joining the Village of Oak Park as the new Finance Director,” said Marckess. “The opportunity to contribute to such a vibrant and diverse community brings me so much joy. I am eager to begin collaborating with the dedicated team serving the Village, ensuring financial stability and transparency while also fostering growth and innovation. I look forward to building strong relationships with the community as we work together to achieve our shared goals for the Village’s future.”
As the Finance Director, Marckess will be primarily responsible for managing the Village’s finances, including financial planning and analysis, budgeting, accounting record keeping and reporting, decision support and analysis and assessment and management of financial risks and emerging trends.
Marckess arrives in Oak Park after a successful stint as Assistant Finance Director for the Village of Bloomingdale, Ill. In her role she assisted in planning, administering and directing day-to-day operations of the department. She oversaw preparation of the annual budget and capital improvement plan and assisted with the treasury and cash management function of the Village’s investment portfolio. Marckess was also essential in preparing various federal and state reports including the Annual Treasurer’s Report, Illinois Department of Insurance Annual Pension Report and the Annual State Comptroller’s Report.
During her tenure with the Village of Bloomingdale, Marckess made significant contributions in advancing the Stratford Square Mall redevelopment project to transform the site into a vibrant and economically sustainable community hub, The Grove at Bloomingdale Commons, while also delivering a tremendous economic impact well into the future. As part of the finance department management team, Marckess conducted a thorough analysis and evaluation of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district in order to maximize financial benefits and support the redevelopment with future budget projections. She also oversaw the financial reporting for acquisition of key properties, including the mall and its anchor stores, while also tracking the sale of assets to optimize transparency and reinvestment into the project. Marckess also prepared documentation for the issuance of bonds to fund the $4.7 million demolition cost.
For the past year, Marckess has also served on the Board of Trustees and as Secretary for the Illinois Metropolitan Investment Fund (IMET). She is charged with analyzing, reviewing and advising on IMET’s portfolio performance and assisting with the annual financial report.
Prior to advancing to the position in Bloomingdale, Marckess was an Accountant with the City of Rolling Meadows, Ill. Among her duties there, she worked closely with operating departments on annual budget preparation, assisted with the planning and execution of the annual audit, prepared monthly reports for the City Council and more. While in that role, in 2022, Marckess was awarded the Jeffery L. Esser Career Development Scholarship by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), acknowledging her commitment to professional growth and excellence in public finance.
Marckess, a native of Addison, Ill., is a Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO) by the GFOA. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in accounting from University of Minnesota in 2022. Prior to that, she also earned an Associate in Arts with honors from College of DuPage.
Jackson also announced that interim Chief Financial Officer Donna Gayden is expected to remain with the organization in an advisory role through the FY26 budgeting process. Gayden has been with the Village of Oak Park since September 2023, and will aid the transition and assist with other ongoing projects.
About Oak Park - The Village of Oak Park, located just nine miles west of downtown Chicago, offers a distinctive urban/suburban lifestyle in a thriving, multi-cultural community. Well-known for progressive values, tree-lined streets and bustling business districts, Oak Park serves as an ideal place to live, work and play. As a longstanding community of choice, the Village benefits from convenient access to local and regional transit, high-quality public schools, and arts and cultural attractions, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio and his acclaimed Unity Temple, which was recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
