Top leadership out at Will, Grundy Big Brothers Big Sisters amid investigation into finances

Chief Executive Officer Ted Brodeur’s resignation was effective Tuesday, said new board President Al Roechner, the former police chief in Joliet.

Roechner took charge as the board leader after the resignation of former board President Neil Narine.

The Will County Sheriff’s Office this week began an investigation into what Roechner described as financial “discrepancies” at the local chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters, a national organization that pairs up young people with adult mentors.

“There were some discrepancies in the financials that were brought to the attention of some of the members of the board of directors,” Roechner said. “When they were brought to the attention of the president of the board, he resigned his position immediately. When they were brought to the attention of Ted Brodeur, he resigned.”

Roechner would not comment on what involvement Brodeur and and Narine may have had with the financial discrepancies. He said he could not provide details of the financial irregularities or the potential amount of money involved.

Big Brothers Big Sisters reported the matter to Joliet police, who turned it over to the Will County Sheriff’s Office for investigation because because of Joliet police involvement in the organization, Joliet Police Department spokesman Sgt. Dwayne English said.

“This report has been forwarded to the Will County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation as there are former and current members of the Joliet Police Department that actively serve on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties Board of Directors and could be considered potential witnesses,” English said in an email.

In addition to Roechner, Officer Pat Schumacher, who currently is assigned as the officer for Mayor Terry D’Arcy’s office, is on the board of directors. Another former Joliet police chief, Mike Trafton, was the chief executive officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters before Brodeur was hired in 2019.

Brodeur came to Big Brothers Big Sisters from the Joliet Park District, where he was a superintendent whose duties included oversight of golf courses, Memorial Stadium and other facilities. He had been at the park district since 1991. Brodeur took an early-retirement buyout offered at a time when the district was cutting costs shortly before becoming the top executive at Big Brothers Big Sisters.

English provided no information about what Big Brothers Big Sisters reported to Joliet police.

Will County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said the matter was turned over to their department earlier this week and sheriff’s detectives are investigating.

Hoffmeyer would not provide details of the report and would only said it involved “a financial situation” and an employee of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“It’s an employee that’s being investigated,” Hoffmeyer said.

Narine was not an employee.

According to Narine’s LinkedIn page, he was involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters in a volunteer capacity since 2013. He is a Joliet resident and works as program management officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Roechner said the board will meet next week and discuss a replacement for Brodeur. The Herald-News was unable to reach Brodeur and Narine for comment.