Bio - Richard Guidice

Rich Guidice is the Director of Business Development for Blue Star Security.  Prior to joining Blue Star, Guidice served as the Chief of Staff to City of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, the 57th mayor of Chicago from May 2023 - March 2024.  Previously, Rich Guidice served as Executive Director of the City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) from March 2019 - April 2023.  In his role as Executive Director, Mr. Guidice oversaw a wide array of public safety programming, including the City’s dispatch operations including the 911 Center; 311 City Services; the City’s 24/7 Operations Center; Emergency Management; and Traffic Management. During his time with OEMC, Guidice spearheaded planning and coordination for large-scale events, including the 2008 Inauguration Celebration for President Barack Obama in Grant Park, the 2012 NATO Summit, the Stanley Cup Championship parades and rallies for the Chicago Blackhawks (2010, 2013, 2015), the World Series Championship celebrations of the Chicago White Sox (2005) and Chicago Cubs (2016), the COVID-19 pandemic, and the humanitarian crisis involving the influx of asylum seekers at the Southern border into Chicago. Guidice also led the planning and coordination for annual marquee events such as the Lollapalooza Music Festival and the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, among a host of other planned and unplanned events and activities throughout the city. With three decades of experience in municipal government, Rich has extensive knowledge of the City’s management and operations.  Previous to OEMC, Rich held various positions with the Chicago Board of Education, Sewer Department (now Water Management), General Services (now Fleet and Facility Management) and the Mayor’s Office.  Born and raised on the northwest side of Chicago, Rich now resides in the 38th Ward.