Crain’s Chicago Business Names Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris a 2022 Notable Military Veteran Executive
CHICAGO – David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) and a retired Major General in the United States Army and Illinois National Guard, has been named one of Crain’s 2022 Notable Military Veteran Executives. Harris is among those being honored by Crain’s for being an accomplished Chicagoland veteran executive who continues to make an impact and go out of his way to help those who have served in the military.
As IDOR director, Harris oversees a budget of $240 million and coordinates a tax structure collecting $67 billion. He is required to ensure that all tax revenues are efficiently collected and properly deposited into the correct funds in the state treasury, and coordinates with the Comptroller’s Office to ensure that tax refunds and state payments are made in a timely manner.
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“David Harris has proven to be an excellent director of the Department of Revenue, and I couldn’t be prouder to have him as a member of my administration. He guided the department through the tumultuous COVID-19 pandemic—adjusting for the remote work requirement, while still meeting the demands of tax processing,” Governor JB Pritzker said. “He has been instrumental in helping to craft fiscal year budgets that resulted in credit rating upgrades from all three credit rating agencies, and under his leadership, the department received national recognition for a program allowing taxpayers to maximize available Earned Income Tax Credit at the state level. I can think of no better person to be named one of Crain’s 2022 Notable Military Veteran Executives—and I congratulate David Harris on this recognition and thank him for his leadership and hard work.”
Harris served as Major General in the United States Army and Illinois National Guard. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon completion of the Infantry Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, GA and he was inducted into the Infantry OCS Hall of Fame in 2002. He commanded units from Company to Battalion level with service in Germany and Eastern Europe. As The Adjutant General, he supervised training and deployment of three Army Brigades and three Air Force Air Wings. In addition to wearing a military uniform for a total of 33 years, he served as an Illinois state legislator for 18 years and was awarded the “Golden Horseshoe Award” as the most effective Republican legislator in 2011.
Harris has expanded IDOR’s annual Veterans’ Day celebrations, inviting significant military, civilian, and governmental leaders to speak and the programs acknowledge the more than 125 veteran IDOR employees. He is also regularly at the forefront on veteran-related issues and has been the featured speaker at various military events statewide. During the operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Ukraine, Harris has been called to provide analysis on the military background and actions taken by the United States and other countries. He served as the co-chair of the Governor’s Transition Team on Veterans’ Affairs, and he is a founding member of the National Museum of the United States Army and the Illinois State Military Museum, which preserves the heritage of the Illinois National Guard.
Harris is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, DC, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and has completed courses at the United States Army War College. He lives in Arlington Heights with his wife Michelle, and they have two grown sons, one of whom is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Crain’s special feature article announcing the 2022 Notable Military Veteran Executives was published online on October 27 and will appear in the October 31 print edition.
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