CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Tyler Funk has been appointed to serve as the City of Champaign's next Fire Chief.
City Manager Joan Walls said the appointment will be effective November 19, 2025.
Funk has served as the City's Interim Fire Chief since July 2025. Before that, he served as the Champaign Fire Department for 26 years, rising to the rank of Deputy Fire Chief before retiring in 2023.
“I am pleased to announce Tyler Funk’s appointment as the City’s next Fire Chief,” said Walls. “Chief Funk is an exemplary public servant who will be central to our Fire Department’s future growth. A strong and seasoned leader, Chief Funk is not only well-respected throughout the State, but he is also the right chief at the right time to lead the current and next generation of our fire department. Chief Funk is dedicated to this City, forward-thinking, community-focused, and results-oriented. I am so excited to bring Chief Funk back to the City in this crucial role.”
Chief Funk said, “I am grateful and honored by the City Manager’s confidence
and trust she places in me to lead our City’s amazing Fire Department."
“The level of talent and professionalism within the Champaign Fire Department is truly inspiring. I will proudly support our distinguished firefighters and amazing staff, and together we will continue to build upon the department’s proud tradition of excellence, service, and safety for Champaign’s residents.”
Funk began his career as a Firefighter with the Champaign Fire Department in 1997. Funk also served as Acting Fire Chief during the City’s COVID
emergency response in 2020-2021, served as Fire Marshal from 2019-2023, taught Incident Command System training at the department for many years, and was a member of the State of Illinois’ MABAS deployable Hazmat team.
Before joining the Champaign Fire Department, Funk served as a Department of Defense Firefighter with the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg, NC, from 1992-1996.
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