Governor Candidate

Questions & Answers

What is the importance of the Illinois Governor to your constituents in Champaign County?

At the broadest level, the Governor needs to sign or veto legislation that affects residents across the state, including Champaign County. More specifically, given that UIUC is the largest employer in Champaign County, the Governor’s spending priorities are very important to Champaign County. The next Governor needs to invest heavily in higher education, and specifically the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign. As Governor, that’s what I plan to do.

Why are you qualified to be Governor?

I've seen Illinois from many different vantage points, and I see potential everywhere throughout our State. The civic activities I have filled throughout my 30-year career in Illinois include many different roles. Within the last ten years, I have served as:

A member of the City of Chicago’s Green
Ribbon Committee;
Co-Chair of the Cook County Sustainability
Advisory Council;
Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois; and,
Member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Finance Committee for the Chicago Community Trust;
Former Trustee, Catholic Theological Union;
Current Trustee, Marine Biological Laboratories;
Member, Global Advisory Board at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management Member of the Legal Services Council’s Leaders Council; and
My wife Sheila and I founded and currently run Top Box Foods, a nonprofit that operates out of local community centers to provide low-cost, high-quality groceries to food deserts in and around the Chicago area.

What is a key policy difference between you and your Primary Opponent[s]?

I have built up a unique set of skills and experiences that enable me to set an ambitious vision and achieve a progressive agenda for the future of our State. I've seen Illinois from many different vantage points, and I see its potential everywhere throughout our State.

When I first moved to Illinois, I worked in agriculture at Archer Daniels Midland. I previously ran the Convention Bureau as its chairman and served as a large-scale employer when I was President of the Merchandise Mart. I have served as a member of the City of Chicago’s Green Ribbon Committee, and I co-chaired the Cook County Sustainability Advisory Council. I served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the University of Illinois under Governor Quinn. Early on in my career, I served as the Chair of the Greater Chicago Food Depository. The experience helped Sheila and me in creating Top Box Foods, a low-cost, high-quality food service that provides groceries to food deserts in the greater Chicagoland area. Together, we are running and operating this social business today through community centers and churches in and around Chicago. Many of our customers are families whom today’s economy has left behind.

I am also currently developing three buildings along the Chicago River, and that development has already created hundreds of jobs.

I know firsthand that Illinois is an amazing state. We are the fifth largest economy in the U.S., and our state should be thriving--we have great people, we are a transit epicenter, we have great agriculture, we have a great university system, and we have a highly skilled workforce.

I believe in government and its ability to restore our economy. I believe that government has an important role to play in investing in the people that our economy is meant to serve, and with my candidacy, I bring a demonstrated commitment to public service. I am running to be the next Governor of Illinois because I want to do what generations in my family have done before me--I want to serve.

There are crucial differences between myself and my two opponents. JB Pritzker is the endorsed candidate of Speaker Madigan. Daniel Biss is the only candidate in the race that has cast a vote for Speaker Madigan. I believe that we should outlaw elected officials from holding outside jobs that are adverse to the interests of the bodies they serve. I believe we should ban elected officials, like Madigan, from also being property tax appeals lawyers. JB Pritzker has been silent on this issue, so has Daniel Biss.

Is there anything else you would like to say to an undecided voter in Champaign County?

Bold new ideas can inject optimism, confidence and enthusiasm for Illinois’ economic future. The state’s economic plan will remove barriers to participation in the economy and create access and opportunity for all Illinois citizens. An equitable growth strategy includes three major prongs: A robust workforce plan that guarantees Illinois has the highest quality workforce in the State, a business environment that is welcoming to businesses and operations, and a commitment to innovation.

A Kennedy/Joy administration will stand firmly with workers, and will look for innovative ways to grow the middle class. Labor is the backbone of our state. Organized labor has a long history of protecting works, whether it be through child labour laws, fighting for safe work spaces, or advocating for the 40 hour work week. Organized labor has protected us, which is why we have to protect them in return. This is why we will fight for a $15 minimum wage and never allow Illinois to become a so-called “Right to Work” state. Our economic plan will protect workers, increase opportunity, and restore equity to our state. Illinois workers should not be asked to work full-time and still live in poverty.

NBC5 from Chicago hosted a Televised debate with all Democrat candidates running for Governor.

You can watch the full debate: here.