Village of Montgomery hires first communications manager

The Village of Montgomery has hired its first communications manager to focus on managing the strategic communication efforts of the village.

Kristina Nemetz has 14 years of local government experience and holds both a bachelor of arts and master of arts degrees in communication studies. She recently was designated a Certified Park & Recreation Executive (CPRE), joining an elite group of only 300 professionals nationally.

In her previous role with the Wheaton Park District, she was instrumental in the marketing and communication planning for the district’s various business units, raised crucial funding for the district through sponsorship and partnership, and took the lead on the city’s large scale community special events.

The Village of Montgomery stretches over the boundaries of five school districts, five fire districts, two park districts, two counties, and two library districts – communication is a crucial component of daily operations with the village’s various departments.

In her new role, the village has charged Nemetz with developing, organizing, and managing the strategic communications of the village to foster community engagement and promote Montgomery as a great place to live, work and play.

“The Village of Montgomery possesses the unique quality of a small town but with the access and opportunity of a large city,” Nemetz said in a statement. “I look forward to the challenge of unifying the village, highlighting the accomplishments of the team, and serving the residents and business owners. I want to help position Montgomery for future growth and economic development while staying true to the village’s charm.”

“As we move post-pandemic, we have understood the essential nature of this type of position within municipal government. We are grateful our current board shares a forward-thinking vision,” Village Administrator Jeff Zoephel said in the statement. “This has been in our long-term strategic plans, and we are excited we found a great candidate to join our team.”

To find out more about the Village of Montgomery and its upcoming events, community development initiatives, or resident resources, visit montgomeryil.org.