Ron Huberman

Ron Huberman
Ron Huberman
Born	November 26, 1971 (age 54); Tel Aviv, Israel
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, public official
Known for	CEO and Co-Founder of Benchmark Analytics; former CEO of Chicago Public Schools; former president of the Chicago Transit Authority; former Chicago Police Department Assistant Deputy Superintendent; former Executive Director of Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications; Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Ron Huberman, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 7 August 2025

Ron Huberman (born November 26, 1971) is a U.S.-based entrepreneur and the CEO and Co-Founder of Benchmark Analytics, a company specializing in data-driven public safety management solutions that incorporate early warning and intervention analytics tailored for law enforcement agencies across the United States. His career in Chicago’s municipal government spanned 16 years, including nine years within the Chicago Police Department. Progressing from patrol officer to Assistant Deputy Superintendent, he was instrumental in advancing policing technologies and implementing community-focused crime reduction initiatives. Huberman also directed Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications, where he introduced swift reforms following the events of September 11. Prior to his tenure as CEO and superintendent of Chicago Public Schools (2009–2010), he served as president of the Chicago Transit Authority.

Early life and education

Huberman was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, into a family of Holocaust survivors. The family later moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where his father was employed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, earning a bachelor's degree in psychology and English in 1994. While serving full-time as a Chicago police officer, Huberman pursued graduate education at the University of Chicago, achieving two advanced degrees in 2000: a Master of Social Work from the School of Social Service Administration and an MBA from the Booth School of Business. During this period, he received both a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans and an Albert Schweitzer Fellowship.

Chicago Police Department

Following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1994, Huberman entered the Chicago Police Academy. He operated as a patrol officer within the Rogers Park district, including assignments on bicycle patrol and within tactical gang units. Collaborating with the Illinois State Police, he helped create the department’s Citizen and Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting (CLEAR) system—a technology-driven platform for criminal data analysis and intelligence gathering. In 1995, Huberman advanced to Assistant Deputy Superintendent, becoming one of the youngest officers to attain exempt rank in the Chicago Police Department. In this role, he supervised more than 600 staff members across divisions such as Research and Development, Information Services, Records Services, and the Office of Information and Strategic Services. He also initiated the pilot program for Police Observation Devices ("blue-light cameras"), significantly enhancing surveillance capabilities.

Office of Emergency Management and Communications

Appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2004 as Executive Director of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), Huberman was charged with safeguarding the city against terrorism, health emergencies, natural disasters, as well as overseeing more than 21,000 daily 911 calls. He established an Operations Center to coordinate disaster response efforts citywide and positioned Chicago as a national leader in emergency preparedness. Under his leadership, the blue-light camera network was expanded throughout the city to bolster crime prevention in high-risk neighborhoods. Huberman also founded the Traffic Management Authority, which replaced sworn officers with civilian personnel to handle traffic operations—thereby allowing police officers to concentrate on law enforcement tasks. Other programs he introduced included a "quick-tow" initiative, installation of street sensors, implementation of intelligent signal timing, and deployment of message boards aimed at reducing traffic congestion. Additionally, he developed a Performance Management system to enhance OEMC’s operational efficiency—a framework he later adapted for other government agencies to improve organizational performance and workforce development.

Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley

In 2005, Mayor Daley designated Huberman as his chief of staff at City Hall, entrusting him with the responsibility of managing the city's daily operations and rebuilding public trust after corruption issues in the Hired Truck Program. Huberman imposed a hiring freeze and introduced more rigorous vetting processes to limit political interference in municipal employment. He also dismissed senior personnel who failed to uphold standards of public integrity. As Chief of Staff, he oversaw the resolution of the Shakman Decree, a longstanding federal mandate controlling political hiring practices. Huberman implemented a performance management framework inspired by private-sector models across all 49 city departments, conducting weekly meetings to assess critical performance indicators and enhance service quality.

Chicago Transit Authority

In 2007, Mayor Daley appointed Huberman as president of the Chicago Transit Authority, the second largest public transit agency in the United States. His tenure was regarded as a revitalizing influence, emphasizing system-wide efficiency, employee responsibility, and improved customer relations. Huberman advanced communication with riders, invested in modern rail cars and buses, and applied his Performance Management methodology within the organization. He halted a $100 million project that had exceeded its budget, negotiated labor agreements that yielded savings exceeding $100 million, reduced slow zones on rail lines, and boosted ridership numbers. Furthermore, he secured long-term contracts with all 21 CTA unions, resulting in significant pension and healthcare cost reductions. Known for frequently riding the "L," Huberman once personally intervened to remove a disruptive passenger from a train during his leadership.

Chicago Public Schools

Following President Barack Obama’s appointment of then-CPS CEO Arne Duncan as U.S. Secretary of Education, Mayor Daley appointed Ron Huberman as head of Chicago Public Schools on January 28, 2009. Daley commended Huberman as an "innovative, creative and hard-nosed manager" who emphasizes data-driven accountability.

At the outset of his leadership over the nation’s third-largest school district, Huberman reorganized senior management and announced significant reductions in Central Office personnel to address an anticipated $600 million budget shortfall. His initiatives aimed at cutting bureaucracy and eliminating waste were recognized for their fiscal prudence.

Huberman focused on retaining and recruiting teachers, enhancing school safety, strengthening middle management, and reallocating resources directly to schools. He outlined these priorities during a presentation at the City Club of Chicago, a gathering place for civic leaders.

A proponent of year-round schooling, Huberman expanded the district’s "Track E" calendar to include 132 elementary schools to mitigate summer learning loss. He also initiated a pilot program adding 90 minutes of daily online instruction at selected schools and extended virtual classroom offerings district-wide.

His hallmark safety program, "Culture of Calm," introduced Safe Passage routes for students traveling to school, mentoring programs targeting at-risk youth identified through data analysis, and bolstered anti-violence measures within schools. This comprehensive strategy gained national recognition following the death of CPS student Derrion Albert and was featured in Paul Tough’s book "How Children Succeed."

Under Huberman’s leadership, student performance improved: elementary students achieved higher scores on state tests; college enrollment rates among high school graduates increased; and overall composite test results rose by 1.5 percentage points in 2010.

In response to allegations involving manipulated test scores and attendance records, Huberman established protocols to safeguard the accuracy and reliability of district data.

He also terminated a federal consent decree regulating admissions to selective enrollment schools, replacing race-based quotas with a socio-economic tier system derived from U.S. Census data to promote equitable citywide representation. Additionally, he initiated an inquiry into irregularities in admissions practices at these competitive institutions.

Departure from Chicago Public Schools

On October 6, 2010, Huberman declared his intention to resign as Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools, attributing his decision to Mayor Daley’s announcement that he would not pursue re-election in 2011. He vacated the position prior to the conclusion of 2010, with Terry Mazany, president of the Chicago Community Trust, stepping in as interim successor.

Recognition by City Council

The Chicago City Council unanimously adopted a resolution on January 13, 2011, commending Huberman for his contributions. The document described him as "a dynamic leader" dedicated to advancing public education in the city and noted his previous leadership roles: President of the Chicago Transit Authority (2007–2009), where he introduced reforms and boosted ridership; Chief of Staff to Mayor Daley (2005–2007), managing 49 municipal departments and a workforce of 39,000; Executive Director of Emergency Management and Communications (2004–2005), where he enhanced public safety through technological advancements; and a nine-year tenure with the Chicago Police Department, culminating as Assistant Deputy Superintendent for Administration. The council acknowledged his exemplary commitment to public service.

Transition to Private Sector

In January 2011, Huberman became part of Prairie Capital, a private equity firm overseeing assets exceeding $2 billion. He also established Teacher Match, serving as its chairman; this enterprise provides K–12 schools with online predictive hiring technology leveraging multiple data inputs. Furthermore, he holds trustee responsibilities at Chicago Rush Medical Center, acts as senior advisor for Alvarez & Marsal, LLC, and serves on the boards of Navman Wireless UK Limited, Specialized Education Services Inc., and Haights Cross Communications.

Academic Contributions

Huberman was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2009. He lectures at the University of Chicago Law School, delivering a course he created entitled "The Law, Policy and Politics of Policing." His authored works include "Subject for Debate" and "The Future of Community Policing."

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