Cook County Clerk’s Office Wins National Award for Innovative, Employee-Built Land Records System (Cook County, IL) – The Cook County Clerk’s Office has been recognized with a 2025 Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties (NACo) for its Employee Built Enterprise Software System (EBESS), a groundbreaking, in-house solution that replaced the office’s aging land records platform.
The NACo award, which honors effective and innovative county government programs, was recently accepted by Clerk Monica Gordon at the 2025 NACo annual conference in Philadelphia.
“This award is a powerful testament to what is possible when we believe in our public institutions, invest in our employees, and empower them to excel,” said Clerk Gordon.
The Clerk’s Information Technology Team undertook the project in 2023 after years of unsuccessful attempts to procure a new recordings software system through public sector vendors. Clerk’s Office Information Technology and Recording Operations staff assessed operational needs, designed the prototype, and built out the new EBESS system. The result is a faster, more reliable, and cost-effective solution that has saved taxpayers millions, increased staff productivity, and dramatically improved customer service.
“The dedicated employees who built this system didn’t just solve a technical problem—they created a model for how county government can work smarter, save money, and serve our constituents more efficiently,” said Gordon.
The EBESS system is now fully operational in the Clerk’s Recording Operations Division, which is responsible for recording, storing, and preserving land records and other official documents for all of Cook County. The Clerk’s Office is already receiving requests to share the EBESS model with other counties in Illinois and across the country to help reduce costs, improve digital access, and modernize local government operations.
The project team replaced a 20-year-old software system with the state-of-the-art model that processes both in-person and electronic transactions significantly faster, saves hours of customer wait time each day, and improves error recovery across the board.
Since its launch, EBESS has recorded nearly 600,000 documents and saved over $7 million by avoiding the high costs and delays with private software vendors. The system also introduced state-of-the-art Certified Digital PDFs, enabling customers to instantly receive certified copies online without having to make an in-person visit to the Clerk’s Office.
Each year, NACo’s Achievement Awards recognize outstanding programming in 18 categories aligned with the wide-ranging services that counties provide. Since 1970, the awards have highlighted visionary solutions in areas like information technology, public safety, civic engagement, and beyond.
“The Achievement Awards shine a spotlight on the hard work and innovation happening in county governments across the nation,” said NACo President James Gore. “This year’s winners highlight the dedication and creativity of county leaders and our teams to building thriving communities and providing the best possible services to our residents.”
Cook County Clerk’s Office Wins National Award for Innovative, Employee-Built Land Records System
