2 New Positions Added To City Of Aurora Staff

AURORA, IL — Two new positions have been created and filled in the City of Aurora, officials announced Monday.

Mayor John Laesch appointed Brian Caputo as the first director of fiscal integrity and government operations and Michele Niermann as the new assistant corporation counsel III.

Caputo, who served as the chief financial officer for Aurora from 1998 to 2017, returns to Aurora for the newly created role in which he will lead efforts to ensure financial transparency, accountability and operational risk mitigation across multiple departments, including development services, public works, public facilities, information technology, and finance, as well as the sub-department of sustainability and economic development.

The new director will also serve as Laesch's principal advisor on departmental fiscal integrity and operational risks and efficiencies, according to a news release. Caputo will report directly to Shannon Cameron, the mayor's chief of staff.

"I am absolutely thrilled to be returning to serve Aurora and its new municipal administration," Caputo said, per the release. "Given the scope of my responsibilities, I believe that Mayor Laesch has given me the opportunity to make a broad, positive impact."

Caputo's experience includes serving as finance director at the Village of Mount Prospect and five years as president of the College of DuPage, where he was also vice president of administration and treasurer. He holds a bachelor's degree from the United States Military Academy, a master's in accountancy from DePaul University, a master's in public administration from Northern Illinois University, where he also received his doctorate. Caputo retired from the United States Army Reserve as a lieutenant colonel.

"Brian Caputo's past experience as a senior leader and former CFO for the City of Aurora has prepared him to hit the ground running," Laesch said in a statement. "He is already making an impactful difference in real time as the city navigates the budget challenges ahead."

In creating the assistant corporate counsel III position, the city is saving money by eliminating its dependency on outside hires, Laesch said.

"Prior to hiring Michele Niermann, the City of Aurora had already spent far outside of its budgeted legal expenses for 2025," the mayor said. "This new position will eliminate the city's dependency on outside counsel to handle HR-related legal issues. Niermann brings the right level of senior leadership to resolve issues quickly for our HR Department and play a key role in the negotiation of union contracts."

Niermann joins the City of Aurora from Klein, Thorpe and Jenkins, Ltd., where she served as a partner, providing legal advice to municipalities in all aspects of government operations, including corporate governance, home rule authority and the Open Meetings Act.

Before the Chicago-based law firm, Niermann worked for 27 years at the Kane County State's Attorney's Office, serving as civil division chief, civil division deputy chief and assistant state's attorney. She was named prosecutor of the year in 2011.

In her new role, Niermann will provide day-to-day legal advice and counsel city staff on employment and labor laws, as well as draft and negotiate agreements on behalf of the city.

"It's an honor to serve the City of Aurora as an Assistant Corporation Counsel," Niermann said in a statement. "I am excited to begin my new role and work with Mayor Laesch, the City Council, the Law Department, and management staff.”