Du Quoin Mayor Rex Duncan to retire in late June from collegiate, business career
The life of Du Quoin Mayor Rex Duncan continues to evolve. Duncan is expected to close one chapter in late June that dealt with educational and business development in collegiate and community college surroundings.
He will retire from Southern Illinois University's business development program. His work there began in 2003 after serving as director at Rend Lake College's cooperative education program, then signing on as Du Quoin's city clerk and budget administrator from 2000 to 2003.
He said it gets down to economics and the state's pension system. He stands to do as well--or better--by retiring now, although he certainly has mixed thoughts and much more to give.
Duncan's work included creation of the Empowerment Zone and in signing on at SIU worked in the office of research development, then into president Glenn Poshard's office as head of the Connect SI program in 2006. From there he moved in 2008 to the SIU Office of Regional Economic Development which serves as an incubator for small business development.
He heads the Champion Communities program which has infused more than $2 million into the Du Quoin-area economy. That work is most visible locally, but has solidly rippled through the entire Southern Illinois economy.
While he sorts through the possibilities that lie ahead, he will set up a shop as full-time mayor of the City of Du Quoin in an office that is located between the council chambers and the city administrator's office.
The city is upgrading computers and software and that work will be extended into the mayor's office.
No doubt, Duncan will have an afterlife in business or education but those decisions will come in the days ahead.
He said he appreciates the town's support of the initiatives that he, the city council, the staff and economic development director Jeff Ashauer have gone forward with and looks forward to the days ahead.
He will continue to communicate the work through his column in the Du Quoin Evening Call "Dear Du Quoin" and during council meetings.