JULIE, Inc. Appoints Amy Lear-Chmura as First Chief Operating Officer

JOLIET, ILLINOIS (January 27, 2026) — JULIE, Inc. (JULIE), Illinois’ facility notification center, has announced the appointment of Amy Lear-Chmura as the organization’s first Chief Operating Officer (COO). The newly created executive role signals JULIE’s continued push for operational excellence, stronger organization-wide alignment, and long-term strategic growth—aimed at supporting safer, damage-free excavation across the state.

In practical terms, this leadership move is about one clear mission: helping protect Illinois’ underground infrastructure and the people who live and work above it. When excavators, homeowners, or contractors plan to dig, the stakes are higher than many realize. Striking underground utilities can cause service outages, property damage, costly repairs, and serious safety hazards. JULIE’s work—coordinating notifications between excavators and utility members—helps reduce those risks through better communication, education, and compliance support.

Why This Appointment Matters for Illinois’ Damage Prevention Ecosystem

JULIE’s decision to establish a COO position—and to name Amy Lear-Chmura as the first person to fill it—reflects how complex and high-impact facility notification operations have become. Illinois’ construction and utility environments are busy year-round, and stakeholders rely on consistent performance, clear processes, and strong readiness for regulatory requirements.

According to the announcement, as COO, Lear-Chmura will lead JULIE’s day-to-day operations and focus on executing strategic priorities, strengthening internal coordination, and ensuring efficient use of resources. She will also work closely with the executive team on system performance, regulatory readiness, stakeholder engagement, and damage prevention initiatives. The role reports to JULIE CEO Mark Frost.

That’s a wide scope—and it’s intentional. A COO often serves as the “connector” between strategy and execution: translating high-level goals into reliable operations, measurable outcomes, and consistent service. For an organization like JULIE, that can mean:

• Operational reliability for call center and notification workflows
• Continuous improvement across systems, training, and service delivery
• Regulatory preparedness in a safety-critical environment
• Stakeholder coordination across utility members, excavators, and community partners
• Education and outreach expansion that scales statewide

Amy Lear-Chmura’s Role as COO: What She Will Oversee

JULIE states that Lear-Chmura will oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations and supervise multidisciplinary teams spanning operations, finance, human resources, call center oversight, and grant-funded initiatives. The focus, as described, is on accountability, efficiency, and alignment with JULIE’s public safety mission.

This set of responsibilities hints at a broader reality: damage prevention isn’t just a technical issue—it’s an organizational one. A facility notification center is only as effective as the people, processes, and technology behind it. A COO can improve outcomes by ensuring that different departments move in sync, decisions are informed by data, and stakeholder feedback translates into meaningful improvements.

Key Focus Areas Mentioned by JULIE

In the release, JULIE highlights several operational priorities connected to the COO role:

• System performance — supporting reliable operations that stakeholders can count on
• Regulatory readiness — ensuring the organization remains prepared to meet compliance expectations
• Stakeholder engagement — strengthening relationships with utility members, excavators, and partners
• Damage prevention initiatives — reinforcing safe digging behaviors and practices
• Organizational effectiveness — ensuring internal alignment and efficient resource use

Taken together, these priorities show that JULIE is treating its operational backbone as a strategic asset—because in a safety-driven environment, “business as usual” is never enough. The goal is continuous improvement, not just maintenance.

From 2019 to COO: Lear-Chmura’s Track Record Inside JULIE

Lear-Chmura joined JULIE in 2019 and has served in senior leadership roles including Director of Education and Strategic Projects and Project Manager. In those roles, she led the design, implementation, and expansion of education and outreach initiatives intended to serve excavators, utility members, and stakeholders statewide.

That background matters because education is one of the most scalable ways to reduce excavation-related incidents. When training is accessible, consistent, and measurable, it can improve knowledge and decision-making across thousands of projects—especially among new workers, seasonal crews, and occasional diggers.

Modernizing Training: A Learning Management System and Online Courses

One of the standout accomplishments included in the announcement is Lear-Chmura’s leadership in developing and launching a robust learning management system (LMS) for JULIE. Under her leadership, JULIE also developed more than 15 SCORM-compliant online training courses with defined learning outcomes and assessments.

While “SCORM-compliant” might sound technical, the impact is easy to understand: it helps ensure online training is structured, trackable, and consistent. That means training can reach more people across Illinois, stay organized over time, and provide better insight into what learners actually understand. JULIE reports that these efforts modernized education delivery, improved statewide accessibility, and contributed to increased course completion and better retention of knowledge.

In a field where safe behavior depends on clear steps—like marking, waiting for locates, and digging carefully near utilities—well-designed training can be the difference between a smooth project and a costly incident.

Deep Industry and Nonprofit Experience: What Lear-Chmura Brings to the Role

JULIE describes Lear-Chmura as having more than 25 years of nonprofit executive leadership experience, including nearly two decades connected to the damage prevention industry. The organization notes that she brings operational expertise, strategic insight, and a strong commitment to safety and public service.

That combination—nonprofit leadership plus industry-specific experience—fits JULIE’s unique position. JULIE operates as a not-for-profit with a statewide public safety mission. It must deliver reliable services, maintain trust among utility members and excavators, and remain responsive to changing needs in construction, infrastructure, and regulation.

Leadership Beyond JULIE: Previous Roles and Industry Contributions

Before joining JULIE, Lear-Chmura served as Executive Director of the Beverly Arts Center in Chicago, where she led operations, strengthened governance practices, and supported strategic planning and growth. JULIE also notes her experience in nonprofit leadership, operational management, grant administration, and communications.

In addition, she has worked nationally within the damage prevention space through roles in industry media and communications, including editorial and consulting work connected to underground utility safety and excavation awareness.

Those experiences can be especially valuable for a COO role that blends operations with outreach and stakeholder engagement. In damage prevention, communication isn’t “extra”—it’s core infrastructure. The clearer the message, the safer the jobsite.

Education and Credentials

JULIE states that Lear-Chmura holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Communications and Training from Governors State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Murray State University. She is also a Project Management Professional (PMP), a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), and holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois Chicago.

These credentials match the operational demands of a statewide organization: project management discipline, organizational training expertise, and nonprofit leadership fundamentals—all aligned with JULIE’s mission-driven environment.

Collaboration and National Involvement: Staying Connected to Best Practices

JULIE notes that Lear-Chmura is involved with the Common Ground Alliance, the Facility Notification Center Association, and multiple professional associations at the local, state, and national levels.

This kind of involvement can keep JULIE close to evolving best practices, emerging risks, and new education strategies. Damage prevention is a field where small improvements—like better training design, clearer messaging, or tighter coordination—can scale into major safety gains across thousands of digs.

About JULIE, Inc.: A Longstanding Mission to Protect Illinois Underground Infrastructure

JULIE has a long history in Illinois. The organization states it has worked since 1974 to help protect residents across the state—including homeowners, professional excavators, farmers, and communities—by promoting safe digging behaviors and protecting underground infrastructure. JULIE describes itself as working together with more than 2,000 member utility companies across Illinois and emphasizes that its service is free.

Facility notification centers like JULIE are widely recognized for a simple, lifesaving message: call before you dig. The goal is to ensure underground utilities are identified and marked so digging can be done safely and responsibly.

Where to Learn More

For additional details and official resources, JULIE directs the public to its website: JULIEBeforeYouDig.com.

What This Could Mean Next: Operational Excellence, Education Growth, and Stronger Alignment

While the announcement focuses on leadership and responsibilities, the underlying signal is forward-looking: JULIE is strengthening its operating model to keep up with the needs of Illinois’ excavation and utility communities. A COO can help turn strategic priorities into repeatable, measurable execution—especially in areas such as:

• Improved internal alignment so departments move together toward shared goals
• Better performance management through clear metrics and continuous improvement
• Expanded education and outreach tools that meet stakeholders where they are
• Stronger readiness to adapt to regulatory or industry changes
• More consistent stakeholder experiences across Illinois

In the release, Lear-Chmura expresses enthusiasm about continuing to support JULIE’s mission and strengthening operations, while expanding safety, education, and outreach tools to meet evolving needs statewide.

How Leadership Changes Support Safety Outcomes in the Real World

It’s fair to ask: how does naming a new COO translate to safer digging? The link is clearer than it might seem.

Safe excavation depends on dependable systems, timely notifications, coordinated workflows, and widespread understanding of correct procedures. When operations run smoothly, fewer details slip through cracks—like missed communications, inconsistent training, or misaligned priorities. A COO’s job is often to prevent those cracks from forming in the first place.

By strengthening day-to-day execution and supporting collaboration across functions—like call center oversight, finance, HR, and grant initiatives—JULIE’s operational maturity can grow. And when operational maturity grows, the whole damage-prevention network benefits: utility members, excavators, local communities, and the public.

FAQ: JULIE, Inc. Appoints Amy Lear-Chmura as First Chief Operating Officer

1) Who did JULIE, Inc. appoint as its first Chief Operating Officer?

JULIE, Inc. appointed Amy Lear-Chmura as its first Chief Operating Officer (COO), according to the company’s announcement dated January 27, 2026.

2) Why did JULIE create a Chief Operating Officer role?

JULIE states that the newly created COO position reflects its focus on operational excellence, stronger organizational alignment, and long-term strategic growth to support safe, damage-free excavation across Illinois.

3) What will Amy Lear-Chmura be responsible for as COO?

JULIE says she will oversee day-to-day operations, help execute strategic priorities, support internal coordination, and work with executive leadership on areas including system performance, regulatory readiness, stakeholder engagement, and damage prevention initiatives.

4) How long has Amy Lear-Chmura worked at JULIE?

JULIE reports that Lear-Chmura joined the organization in 2019 and previously served in senior leadership roles such as Director of Education and Strategic Projects and Project Manager.

5) What are some accomplishments highlighted in her background at JULIE?

JULIE highlights her leadership in launching a learning management system and developing 15+ SCORM-compliant online training courses with defined outcomes and assessments, which modernized education delivery and improved accessibility statewide.

6) What is JULIE, Inc., and who does it serve?

JULIE is Illinois’ facility notification center. The organization says it works with more than 2,000 member utility companies across Illinois and has supported damage prevention efforts since 1974, providing a free service intended to protect underground infrastructure and public safety.

7) Where can people learn more about JULIE’s services?

JULIE directs people to JULIEBeforeYouDig.com for more information.

Conclusion: A Strategic Leadership Move for a Safety-First Mission

The appointment of Amy Lear-Chmura as JULIE’s first Chief Operating Officer is more than a title change—it’s a strategic investment in how Illinois approaches safe excavation. With experience inside JULIE, a strong record in education modernization, and deep nonprofit and industry expertise, Lear-Chmura steps into a role designed to strengthen operational execution and support JULIE’s statewide mission.

As infrastructure needs grow and excavation activity continues across Illinois, JULIE’s emphasis on alignment, performance, and outreach will remain central. This new COO role—focused on accountability, efficiency, and mission alignment—signals a clear message: JULIE is building for the future, with safety and service reliability at the core.

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