Johnson announced on Monday that BACP Comm. Ivan Capifali would be retiring from the job after more than 30 years with the city. 

“Throughout his service to the people of Chicago, Commissioner Capifali has brought his expertise, leadership and deep commitment to every position he has held,” Johnson said in a news release. “I am grateful for his service and for the innumerable contributions he has made to our administration and to Chicago’s business community.” 

Capifali has led the city’s business affairs department since the summer of 2024, when former Comm. Ken Meyer retired from the position. After serving as interim commissioner, Capifali was confirmed by the City Council as the permanent BACP commissioner in March 2025. 

The mayor said the commissioner would be exiting city government to focus on starting his own business, a path that involved “creating a generational investment in the city he loves and has dedicated his career to serving.” 

“After more than three decades of dedicated service to the City of Chicago, I am closing one chapter of my career and beginning another,” Capifali said in a statement. “I am grateful to Mayor Brandon Johnson for the opportunity to serve as BACP Commissioner and to work alongside so many dedicated public servants and members of Chicago’s business community. I am leaving public service with a deep understanding of the people, businesses and communities that make our city thrive.” 

Capifali previously served as a first deputy commissioner for BACP, as well as managing deputy commissioner and deputy commissioner for business compliance and enforcement. He also previously worked in the city’s environment department and animal control commission. 

Over the last year and a half, Capifali has clashed with some on the City Council. For instance, he expressed his frustration in a license committee meeting with the way BACP has been made to implement the legalization of video gambling in Chicago after not being involved in the crafting of the regulatory and licensing framework, which passed as part of the 2026 budget after being inserted by a group of alderpeople opposed to parts of the mayor’s budget plan. 

Related: License committee advances conditional approval process for city video gambling applicants 

Last September, Capifali urged the council not to rush through the legalization of video gambling as it was being considered in a standalone ordinance. The ordinance was passed by the license committee but ended up not receiving a final vote after vocal opposition from Bally’s Chicago. The legalization occurred in the budget passage months later, and the casino operator has continued to strongly oppose the choice, blaming the legalization for its recent decision to halt construction on the adjacent amenities for its downtown casino complex.  

Capifali also drew the ire of multiple alderpeople earlier this year when he voiced opposition to an ordinance (SO2026-0024076) that aimed to crack down on so-called sweepstakes machines, which operate in a dubious legal area. He claimed the department wanted more time to evaluate and possibly tweak the proposal and voiced concerns about having sufficient staff to enforce the new rules — a similar concern he had with the video gambling legalization. The City Council ended up voting down the proposed ban.  

Related: Sweepstakes machine ban advances out of license and consumer protection committee over BACP objections  

The outgoing BACP commissioner also stood in opposition to an ordinance (SO2025-0021018) restricting sales of hemp-derived intoxicants in the city, which was vetoed by Johnson.

Capifali’s last day will be Sept. 30, and an interim commissioner has not yet been announced.