Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. Selected for 2025 Council of State Governments Leadership Award

Treto among 20 emerging state officials from 18 states recognized for the leadership and dedication to public service

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Council of State Governments (CSG) has named Illinois Department of Financial and Professional regulation (IDFPR) Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. a recipient of the 2025 CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award. The award honors the bipartisan leadership and public service of 20 emerging elected and appointed state officials across all four CSG regions.

"It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the Council of State Governments among such an inspiring group of public servants," said IDFPR Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. "Every day, I am reminded that leadership is not about titles, but about service: service that uplifts communities, builds trust, and creates opportunities for others. I share this recognition with the dedicated team at IDFPR and my peers across the nation who are committed to strengthening government through collaboration and integrity."

Established in 2020 through the vision of former New Hampshire Sen. Lou D'Allesandro, a public servant of more than five decades, the CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award was created during his tenure as CSG National Chair to strengthen engagement with younger state leaders.

Since then, the CSG 20 Under 40 community has annually welcomed a new class of inspiring public servants under the age of 40 who make meaningful contributions to their communities while exemplifying the core CSG values of civility, collaboration and innovation.

"I appointed Secretary Mario Treto, Jr. to lead the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation because I knew his leadership and vision were needed to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in state government. Since then, Secretary Treto has served with dedication, fostering collaboration, advancement, and innovation," said Governor JB Pritzker. "This recognition by the Council of State Governments is a testament to Secretary Treto's accomplishments and a reflection of his deep commitment to serving the people of Illinois with excellence and heart."

"As Secretary of IDFPR, Mario Treto, Jr. has worked tirelessly to serve as an advocate not just for his agency, but for all licensees under his charge and the people they serve," said Senator Elgie Sims, Jr.,

CSG National Chair. "I congratulate Secretary Treto on this recognition, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to strengthen consumer and patient protections and transform occupational and financial institution licensing in Illinois."

"This year's CSG 20 Under 40 honorees are each exceptional leaders in their states. Collectively, they represent the best of America," said David Adkins, CSG Executive Director/CEO. "These young leaders pursue public service with passion, and they understand the value of working collaboratively to get things done. While they have already accomplished a lot, I'm confident these state officials will make a difference for decades to come."

Treto was selected from a competitive pool of individuals who demonstrated excellence in one or more of the following areas:

This recognition comes one month after the IDFPR's Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) was awarded the 2025 Regulatory Excellence Award by the Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (CLEAR), an award presented annually to regulatory bodies worldwide that demonstrate outstanding innovation, vision, and measurable results in protecting the public while serving professionals. This prestigious international honor recognizes DPR's transformative leadership in professional regulation by modernizing licensure processes, reducing barriers for applicants, and elevating customer service for more than 1.2 million licensed professionals across Illinois.

Previous Illinois recipients of the CSG 20 Under 40 Leadership Award include State Representative Sonya Harper (2020) and State Representative Maurice West II (2024).

A recognition ceremony for the 2025 recipients will take place at the CSG National Conference, Dec. 9- 13, in Chicago. Leaders from all 56 states and U.S. territories will be in attendance to exchange ideas, address complex state policy issues and celebrate the work of outstanding public servants.

About IDFPR: The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) serves as the State of Illinois' head regulatory agency that ensures professional licensees meet the legislative and regulatory requirements enacted to protect Illinois' consumers. Currently, IDFPR licenses more than 1.2 million professionals across 120 industries. More about IDFPR's recent accomplishments can be found on the Department's new Hub webpage.

About The Council of State Governments: The Council of State Governments is our nation's only organization serving all three branches of state government. CSG is a region-based forum that fosters the exchange of insights and ideas to help state officials shape public policy. This offers unparalleled regional, national and international opportunities to network, develop leaders, collaborate and create problem-solving partnerships. For more information about The Council of State Governments, visit csg.org.