Coroner - Robert J. Gessner
Robert J. Gessner was born in Kankakee, Illinois and lived in the Kankakee area for most of his childhood until his family briefly moved to Michigan. Upon graduating from high school in Michigan, Gessner moved back to his hometown where he worked in his father’s factory. In 1969, Gessner began his career with the Kankakee Fire Department. He served the citizens of the City of Kankakee proudly for 30 years until his retirement in 1999.
While employed by the City of Kankakee, Gessner also started working part-time for the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office in 1984. Gessner held the title of Deputy Coroner until 1999 when he was appointed Chief Deputy Coroner under former Coroner Dr. James Kelly. When Coroner Dr. Kelly retired in 2003, Gessner was appointed by the Kankakee County Board to serve as Kankakee County Coroner. He was first elected to the position in 2004 and has been successfully re-elected in 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020.
Coroner Gessner is a member of the Cook County Disaster Team, the Illinois Coroner’s and Medical Examiner’s Association where he has served as the Secretary since 2003, the Eastern Illinois Law Enforcement Administrator’s Association, the Illinois Department of Homeland Security Board, the Kankakee Chapter of the NAACP, The Hundred Club of Kankakee County, the Riverside Healthcare Foundation Board and the Kankakee Country Club. In 2018, Gessner was selected by The Daily Journal as the 2017 Citizen of the Year.
During his tenure as Kankakee County Coroner, Gessner has led the charge across Kankakee County to educate people on the importance of seat belt usage, obeying the speed limit, not drinking and driving, not texting and driving and more recently the dangers of drugs especially opioids. Thousands of students from all across Kankakee County have heard Coroner Gessner stress the importance of wise decision making. Coroner Gessner was also instrumental in the design and construction of the Bryan R. Mitchell M.D. Forensic Center, which enabled the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office to work in a state of the art facility with cutting edge technology all of which benefits the citizens of Kankakee County.
Chief Deputy Coroner - Eric L. Cavender
Eric Cavender joined the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office in December of 2008. In June of 2014, Eric was appointed as the Chief Deputy Coroner. Eric is a 2008 graduate of Momence High School. In addition, Eric has earned a Master of Science degree in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Olivet Nazarene University, an Associate of Science degree in Mortuary Science and Funeral Service from Carl Sandburg College, and an Associate of Arts degree from Kankakee Community College.
Eric has completed the basic and master level Medicolegal Death Investigator Training Course through the St. Louis University School of Medicine. He is a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer in the State of Illinois. He has completed the National Board Exam of Funeral Service Arts and Science, 40-Hour Firearm Training Certification, Lead Homicide Investigator Certification, Practical Homicide Investigation Certification, Command and General Staff Training, FEMA Professional Development Series Certification, FEMA Incident Management System Levels 100 through 800 Certification, FEMA Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Certification and FEMA EEO Supervisor Training Certification.
Eric is a member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Cook County Disaster Response Team, the Illinois Coroners and Medical Examiners Association, the Hundred Club of Kankakee County where he serves on the membership committee, the Eastern Illinois Law Enforcement Administrators Association where he serves as the Secretary, St. George Catholic Church, the Kankakee County Republican Central Committee where he serves as the Treasurer and is on the Board of Directors for Good Shepherd Manor in Momence, Illinois. In addition, Eric is an adjunct professor at Olivet Nazarene University where he teaches in the Social Work and Criminal Justice Program. Eric is also the owner and operator of C The World Travel Agency. Eric is married and together with his wife he enjoys spending time with family, playing cards, and traveling the world.
Deputy Coroner - Guy L. Maisonneuve
Guy Maisonneuve was hired part-time at the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office in 2014 and in December of 2021 transitioned into a full-time position. Guy retired after 29 years of service from the Kankakee Fire Department. In addition, Guy is POC with the Manteno Community Fire Protection District and is an Auxiliary Police Officer for Manteno Police Department and Co-Chair and Team Leader for the Kankakee Valley MABAS 7 Fire Investigation Team.
Guy brings extensive knowledge of the fire service to the Coroner’s Office. Guy is an Illinois State Certified Fire/Arson Investigator including Firearms Training. He is also certified in Rescue Specialist/Confined Space/Trench Awareness, Technical Recue Awareness, and Hazardous Materials 1st Responder Operations.
Guy has also attended the Medicolegal Death Investigation Seminar, New Regulations in Death Scene Investigation Protocol Seminar, Questionable Death: A Multiple Agency Investigation Seminar, Lead Homicide Investigator, NIMS IS-100, 200, 700, 800, and 907. Guy has held several positions with the Illinois Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators including Northern Zone Board Director for 9 years and President for 2019-2020 and continues to serve on several committees. Guy is married and is a resident of Bourbonnais.
Deputy Coroner - Alfred “Al” Ponton
Alfred “Al” Ponton began his career with the Coroner’s office in 2019. Deputy Ponton is also the EMS Manager with Riverside Medical Center. He received a Master of Science in Nursing from Grand Canyon University and Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing and Paramedic Supervisor from Kankakee Community College.
Al has over thirty years of serving the public with his start in Healthcare / EMS in 1988 while working as a Certified Nurses Aid at Prereview Lutheran Home, Danforth and the OTTO Township fire department. On January 2, 1989, he started working at Riverside Medical Center. He is a member of the National Association of EMS Educations (NAEMSE), Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and Kankakee Community College EMS Program Advisory Board. Al holds FEMA Incident Management Systems Levels 100 through 800 certifications amongst multiple certifications in EMS and Nursing. Al has completed the 40-hour firearm certification and the Medicolegal Death Investigator Course through St. Louis University School of Medicine.
Deputy Coroner - Joseph P. Carney
Joseph Carney was hired by the Coroner’s Office in July of 2021. Joe is a Nurse Practitioner and has more than 20 years of healthcare experience. He earned his Master of Science in Nursing from the University of St. Francis in 2017 and also has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Xavier University.
He is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and is a certified medical examiner for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. In addition, he is certified in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Emergency Communications, and Trauma Nurse Core. Joe has completed the 40-hour firearm certification, the Medicolegal Death Investigation Course through St. Louis University School of Medicine and the 40-hour Lead Homicide Investigator Certification.
Joe is married and has three children.
Deputy Coroner - Nicholas M. Jette
Nicholas Jette started his career with the Coroner’s Office in July of 2021. Nick is an RN at Ascension St Mary’s Hospital and has also previously worked for Riverside Healthcare. He started his nursing career in 2015 after graduating from Kankakee Community College with an Associate of Applied Science Degree. He has since completed his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Capella University.
During his nursing career, Nick has been a preceptor for new nursing graduates. In addition, he was in charge of a 55 bed cardiac unit and the clinical nurse manger for the Emergency Department. He holds certifications in Basic Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Pediatric Emergency Nursing, Trauma Nurse Core, Emergency Communications, Trauma Nurse Specialist, and Bard Ultrasound Guided IV Insertion. He is a member of the Emergency Nurses Association. Nick has completed the 40-hour firearm certification, the Medicolegal Death Investigator Course through St. Louis University School of Medicine and is certified as a Lead Homicide Investigator.
Nick is married and lives in Bradley.
Administrative Assistant/Deputy Coroner - Lindsay M. Jones
Lindsay Jones joined the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office in 2018 as the Administrative Assistant/Deputy Coroner. Prior to coming to the office, she worked at the Kankakee County Clerk’s Office as the Deputy Clerk. Lindsay was also employed at Riverside Medical Center for eight years as a patient access health care tech prior to her work at the Kankakee County Clerk’s Office.
As the Administrative Assistant, Lindsay works closely with the families and funeral homes. She ensures proper data entry into the state vital record system, in order to produce a death certificate. Lindsay also organizes and maintains all death investigation files, oversees the issuance of cremation permits and the completes all Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Lindsay is happily married with three children.
Deputy Coroner Trevor A. Allen
In December of 2022, Trevor Allen joined the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office as a Deputy Coroner. Trevor has been in the Fire and EMS service since 2012. He has been a full time firefighter/paramedic with Kankakee City since November of 2021. Trevor holds NIMS 100,200,700,800 and 907. In addition, he has completed multiple certificates in water and technical rescue as well as the 40-hour Lead Homicide Investigator Certification. Trevor is married and has two children.
Deputy Coroner Darren L. Blair
Darren Blair joined the Kankakee County Coroner’s Office part-time in December of 2022. In December of 2023, Darren transitioned into a full-time position.
Prior to joining the coroner’s office, Darren worked for 15 years in the Public Safety Department at Olivet Nazarene University. Darren was been promoted from part-time officer, to full-time officer, to shift supervisor, to Assistant Director and in 2022 was named the Director of Public Safety.
Darren served on the Bourbonnais Police Auxiliary Force for 9 years, 2000-2009. He has served on the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District’s Board of Commissioner’s for 9 years and is a member of Region VII Coalition for the past 9 years.
He holds an Associates of Mortuary Science with an Illinois state license to embalm and conduct funerals (2003) from the Worsham Mortuary Academy in Wheeling, IL. He then earned an undergrad degree in Physical Education with the Health Minor to teach K-12 in 2006. Then he completed a Master’s of Organizational Leadership from Olivet in May of 2012.
Darren has been a member Kankakee County C.E.R.T. since 2014 and is a long-term member in the L.E.P.C. as well. In 2020, He was inducted as an honorary member of the Kankakee County ERT (SWAT).
Darren holds FEMA Certificates 100 through 700 along with American Red Cross Instructor Certifications in CPR/AED/First Aid and has Instructor Certifications in Immediate Trauma Care and Stop the Bleed courses. He earned the certification for A.R.R.L. Amateur Radio Operation for Kankakee County.
Darren has attained Certification from Husch & Blackwell for Title XI Investigation Training and has also earned the eight-hour Certificate from the Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing and Positive Persuasion conducted by John E. Reid & Associates Inc. Darren has completed the 40-hour firearm certification and is certified as a Lead Homicide Investigator.
Darren is married has 3 sons and lives in Bourbonnais.
Deputy Coroner Timothy C. Posing
In December of 2022, Tim Posing was hired as a part-time Deputy Coroner. Tim has over 20 years of fire service experience. For the past 18 years, Tim has worked full-time for the Naperville Fire Department where he is a member of the Hazmat, Technical Rescue, and Water Rescue teams. In addition, Tim is a fire service and EMS instructor and is certified as a Lead Homicide Investigator.
Deputy Coroner John T. Raimondo
Bio coming soon.