Ex-Suburban Official Gets Sports Tickets From Major Vendor

SUMMIT, IL – A suburban Chicago school official got sports tickets from an architectural firm that does business with the school.

William Toulios, former superintendent of Argo Community High School in Summit, also joined forces with the business for a tent outside of a University of Illinois event.

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The firm is Chicago-based Cordogan Clark & Associates.

Since 2015, the business has received nearly $2.5 million from the school, according to public records. About two-thirds of the money went to the firm after Toulios took the helm in summer 2020.

Since Toulios was suspended a year ago, Cordogan has received less than $4,000.

In November, Toulios agreed to resign after an investigation revealed he spent public money on porn and other personal purposes. State police have said he is under investigation.

In August 2024, Argo unveiled a major building addition designed by Cordogan.

In an October 2023 email to Toulios, Cordogan's Nathan Melotte offered Blackhawks tickets to Toulios.

"We have 4 tickets total, so 2 or 3 for Argo," said Melotte, the firm's architectural vice president.

Toulios emailed Melotte about the tickets, copying then-school board President Dan Kozal.

Toulios referred to Melotte as "Nathan the boss."

"Thank you, da man," he told the executive.

In a recent interview, Melotte said he has known Toulios for 20 years, calling it a "personal friendship."

"It's a friendship outside business," he said.

Toulios couldn't be reached for comment.

Argo's public records also show a photo of a tent outside a University of Illinois event labeled "Cordogan Clark/Argo."

The documents include Toulios' receipts for gas and parking at the university, for which he sought reimbursement. He said in a message to his staff that it was from "when I met up with Nathan."

In government, it's often frowned upon when contractors give officials sports tickets.

A couple of years ago, an executive from a cafeteria vendor, Quest Food Management Services, offered Cubs tickets to a North Shore school district's chief finance official, who declined.

This occurred while the district was seeking a new cafeteria vendor. Quest was chosen.

After another company filed a protest, the state Board of Education forced the district to change its vendor. The agency launched an investigation into Quest.

Cordogan Clark & Associates and Argo Community High School joined forces for a tent outside a University of Illinois event. (Argo Community High School)