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Rahm Emanuel

Office Sought: Mayor

Campaign Website: http://www.chicagoforrahm.com

A native of Chicago with three terms representing his North Side district in Congress, Rahm Emanuel is deeply rooted in the life of the city.

Emanuel most recently served as the White House Chief of Staff in President Barack Obama’s administration. During his tenure, he helped orchestrate the passage of key milestones such as the economic Recovery Act, Wall Street reform, and health care reform – increasing access and decreasing costs for millions of Americans. In August, Emanuel played a crucial role in securing a bipartisan compromise that saved 140,000 teacher’s jobs – and protected 5,700 jobs in Illinois.

Prior to his role in the administration, Emanuel served three terms in the House of Representatives representing Chicago’s 5th District, which includes the Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Uptown neighborhoods. While there, he proved to be a strong, effective voice for Chicago neighborhoods.

Emanuel was a fierce advocate for Chicago families, serving on the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes, trade, Social Security, and Medicare. He also served on the Subcommittees on Health and Select Revenue.

In addition to his legislative efforts, Emanuel worked hard to directly serve the Chicago residents in his district through “Congress on Your Corner,” in which he and his staff set up shop in local grocery stores to talk with constituents about their needs. During tax season, he provided free tax preparation and college financial aid clinics.

In 2007, Emanuel was elected to serve as House Democratic Caucus Chair, the fourth highest position in Democratic leadership. In the first 100 legislative hours under his watch, Democrats passed sweeping ethics reform, restored fiscal responsibility to the budget process, strengthened our national security by implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations, increased minimum wage, expanded stem cell research, lowered the cost of prescription drugs, cut interest rates on student loans, and ended the subsidies for big oil by investing in renewable energy.

In 2005, Emanuel was appointed to serve as Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. His aggressive leadership helped propel Democrats to pick up 30 House seats in the 2006 election – and regain the Democratic majority.

Prior to being elected to Congress, Emanuel served as a key member of the Clinton White House from 1993 to 1998, rising to serve as Senior Advisor to the President for Policy and Strategy. He played a key role in passing the COPS initiative, which added 100,000 cops to our streets and helped drop crime rates to a 26-year low. Emanuel also worked in the private sector for Chicago investment bank Wasserstein Perella. He began his career at Illinois Public Action, the state’s largest public interest organization.

Emanuel graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1981 and received a Master’s Degree in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University in 1985.

Rahm is married to Amy Rule, and they have three children, Zach, Ilana, and Leah. His family’s home is in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood.

Susana Mendoza

Office Sought: City Clerk

Campaign Website: http://www.susanamendoza.com/

Rep. Susana Mendoza was elected to her sixth term as State Representative from the 1st District of Illinois, which includes the Chicago communities of Brighton Park, Little Village, Gage Park, and Back of the Yards. Rep. Susana Mendoza is currently running to be the next Chicago City Clerk in the municipal elections to be held on February 22, 2011.

Download the biography for Susana Mendoza (PDF)

Rep. Susana Mendoza graduated from Bolingbrook High School where she earned All-State and All-Midwest honors in varsity soccer. She attended Northeast Missouri State University, (now Truman State University) on a soccer and academic scholarship, earning All-Midwest honors in soccer and a B.A. in Business Administration.

Elected as the youngest member of the 92nd General Assembly in 2001, she has proven to be an aggressive leader with her efforts to improve education, public health, public safety and living conditions for the people of Illinois and the community she serves. Rep. Susana Mendoza was also a leading sponsor of HR 1650 which created the panel to impeach former Governor Blagojevich and she served as an active alternate member of the impeachment committee. She serves on five House committees: International Trade and Commerce (Chairperson); Bio-technology (Vice-Chairperson); Labor; Public Utilities; and Railroad Industry.

Rep. Susana Mendoza has served as Co-Chairperson of the Conference of Women Legislators and twice served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention (DNC). She is also a co-founder of the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus, and in 2004, was named one of Chicago Crain’s Chicago Business Magazine “40 under 40”. The U.S. Department of State has selected Rep. Susana Mendoza as part of its Professional Speaker’s Program in an effort to have her promote democracy and leadership in the countries of Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Venezuela and Chile. She has traveled to Uganda and Tanzania as a member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders.

As a legislator and/or the Chairman of the International Trade and Commerce Committee, Rep. Susana Mendoza has traveled to China, Turkey, Ireland, and El Salvador. Most recently, she was selected by Robin Read, the President & CEO of the National Foundation for Women Legislators, at the behest of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to be one of only seven women selected nationally to travel to Iraq where she monitored the Iraqi elections on March 7, 2010.

Stephanie Neely

Office Sought: City Treasurer

Campaign Website: http://www.neelyforchicago.com/

Stephanie D. Neely, the Treasurer of Chicago, first won a citywide municipal election in February 2007 after being appointed to the office in 2006.

Ms. Neely, a native Chicagoan who grew up on the Southside, brings to the Office of Treasurer of the City of Chicago more than 20 years of financial services experience with leading investment banking institutions. A former vice president at Northern Trust Global Investments, Ms. Neely was responsible for working with public and corporate pension funds. As an African-American woman, Ms. Neely created opportunities for minority and women-owned financial services firms by fostering relationships with Northern Trust and thereby helping them establish a foothold in the industry. Ms. Neely consistently draws on her work in the fields of asset management, municipal and corporate finance in her role as Treasurer of the City of Chicago.

Ms. Neely has a deep personal commitment to serving the City, and has brought a wealth of experience to the Office of the Treasurer. She is one of three citywide elected offices in City of Chicago government; the other two are Mayor and City Clerk. As Treasurer, Ms. Neely is responsible for investing a portfolio of approximately $7 billion while trying to ensure the best return for the citizens of Chicago. The City Treasurer’s Office is also responsible for developing and implementing programs that foster and promote the economic vitality of the City’s neighborhoods. Currently, the City Treasurer’s Office maintains programs that improve financial literacy for all Chicagoans and help strengthen small businesses by providing access to affordable capital. Finally, as Treasurer, Ms. Neely serves as a trustee on five public pension boards.

Ms. Neely holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Smith College and a Master’s of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business. She has served on the board of several civic and business organizations, including the Chicago Summer Business Institute, the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Securities Professionals, the Urban Prep Charter School, the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, the Adler School of Psychology and the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.

Ms. Neely and her son live in the North Kenwood neighborhood and are members of Lawndale Community Church, located on the City’s Westside.