Shorewood's Roman Means Big Business for New Lenox

Six months after Nancy Hoehn (formerly Nancy Roman) to New Lenox, she earned her stripes.

New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann lauded Hoehn Monday for her involvement in bringing to the village.

Hoehn was first the economic development director for . After leaving, she and the New Lenox Village Board came under fire when it was made pubic that her new position involved a telecommute from Texas. Hoehn was married and move south to live with her husband.

Several residents expressed outrage at a November New Lenox board meeting because the village did not find anyone qualified in Illinois. One man threatened to hound the board until it fired her.

In under a year, Hoehn used her contacts she met in Shorewood to bring the $8 million annual sales hot dog restaurant to New Lenox. The sales tax revenue is expected to be over $200,000 to the village.

Hoehn earns $60,000 a year, plus up to $12,000 in travel expense reimbursements, according to Carroll, New Lenox's administrator. Hoehn's predecessor earned $84,000 annually.

Baldermann said that in addition to the sales tax, Portillo's will bring residual sales to the area. People who come to Portillo's will also buy gas, groceries and other things, he explained.

Although he praised Hoehn as being the hook, he credited the rest of the village's staff for their roles in securing the new business.

"It's a team effort," Hoehn said.