Julius E. Rhodes

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has appointed Julius E. Rhodes, SPHR, as acting chief of the county’s Bureau of Human Resources, pending confirmation by the Board of Commissioners.

“I am pleased that Julius, a seasoned professional, has agreed to join our administration,” Preckwinkle said. “His deep experience in the human resources arena makes him well-equipped for the role he will play as we move forward with our second-term agenda.”

Rhodes, 54, is a lifelong resident of Chicago’s South Side and current resident of the city’s North Kenwood neighborhood.

For the past 20 years he operated the mpr group, a broad-based, full-service human resources consulting practice he founded and which he served as principal.

“I am honored to be afforded the opportunity to serve the residents of Cook County, an area that I have called and will always call home,” Rhodes said. ” I look forward to the challenge of leading the Bureau of Human Resources in pursuit of its mission of continuous improvement for the benefit of employees and our citizens alike.”

Rhodes boasts a wealth of experience in human resources. Earlier in his career, he held a number of HR posts with leading-edge corporations, including Sara Lee Bakery, Baxter Healthcare, General Electric and Mobil Chemical.

Rhodes has studied philosophy and business ethics in the doctorate program at Loyola University. He earned a master’s degree in industrial relations from Loyola and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Roosevelt University. He has Senior Professional Human Resources certification.

— Preckwinkle names new county human resources chief —