2 Darien Officials Reappointed To Jobs

DARIEN, IL – The Darien City Council this week unanimously voted to reappoint two of the city's top officials.

They are Police Chief Greg Thomas and Municipal Services Director Dan Gombac.

Thomas was hired as chief in 2015 after retiring as Aurora's chief following a 33-year career there.

Gombac has been in his Darien job since 2005. Before that, he worked a quarter century for neighboring Willowbrook, where he left as the superintendent of municipal services.

"Both of them have had exemplary careers serving Darien as well as Aurora and Willowbrook, and are leaders in their fields," City Administrator Bryon Vana told Patch in an email.

The reappointment process is every year.

Darien's administrative structure is more streamlined than many towns. Vana is the top official, with two directors, Thomas and Gombac, reporting to him. Most towns have more top officials.

In an interview, Mayor Joseph Marchese said Thomas has developed a strong team since taking the helm.

"If Greg left tomorrow, we could make that promotion from within," the mayor said. "He is a data-driven police chief, which I really like. That's his leadership style. We have really high morale. I talk to our police officers all the time. They have a tremendous amount of respect for him."

As for the municipal services director, Marchese said, "I don't know anyone who works as hard and is as capable as Dan Gombac."

He credited Gombac with leading the building of far more miles of ditches per year than was originally expected, starting the backyard drainage program, constructing a new water tower at Plainfield Road and Cass Avenue, and getting most of the tenants for the Darien Pointe shopping center, among other things.

"The owner built without any tenants to go in there. Dan worked with the broker to bring businesses in. Getting Starbucks helped," the mayor said.