Bob O'Dekirk

Bob O'Dekirk
Mayor of Joliet, Illinois
Assumed office
May 2015 (2015-May)
Preceded by Tom Giarrante
Personal details
Born 1968/1969 (age 49–50)
Chicago, Illinois
Children Three
Residence Joliet, Illinois
Alma mater University of Illinois
John Marshall Law School
Profession Attorney

Bob O'Dekirk (born 1969/70)[1] is the mayor of Joliet, Illinois. He was sworn in on May 4, 2015. O'Dekirk is a former Joliet police officer and is a practicing attorney in Joliet.

Education

O'Dekirk descends from Canaryville Irish in Chicago.[2] He graduated in 1987 from Oak Forest High School, where he boxed and played football and baseball;[2] in 1987 he was named All-Conference in baseball.[3] He earned an undergraduate degree in 1991 from the University of Illinois and his degree in law in 2003 from the John Marshall Law School.[3][4][5]

Non-political career

Beginning in 1993 he worked for ten years as a uniformed and plainclothes officer for the Joliet police,[2] winning the Martin S. Murrin Labor Award in 1995[3][6] and serving on the executive board of the local affiliate of the Fraternal Order of Police. After earning his law degree, he became an Assistant Corporate Counsel for the city of Chicago and worked on a task force prosecuting narcotics crimes.[4][5] In 2006 he returned to Joliet and went into private practice.[3]

In 2008–2009, he worked with the Department of State assisting in training police in Iraq, eventually becoming Regional Commander for the North of Iraq, overseeing training efforts in the Tikrit and Mosul regions. On his return to the US, he became a partner in the law firm of O’Dekirk, Allred & Associates.[4][5][6][7]

Political career

O'Dekirk was elected to the Joliet City Council in 2011.[1][6] and was elected mayor in 2015,[3][4][5][8] unseating Tom Giarrante.[1][9] He is also the city's liquor commissioner.[10] His slogan as a mayoral candidate was "Joliet Can Be Great Again";[1][9] as mayor, he has emphasized conservative budgeting and economic development to make up for recent losses of employment and reduction in income from riverboat casinos.[11]

Private life

O'Dekirk is married and has three children.[2][4] He plays the drums in a rock band called Hot Mess.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Alicia Fabbre (April 7, 2015). "Daily Southtown: Joliet mayor concedes bid for second term to challenger". Chicago Tribune.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Lorraine Swanson (May 1, 2015). "Mayor-Elect Eager To Get Joliet Moving Forward". Patch.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Bremen District 228 (September 26, 2017). "Oak Forest HS Hall of Fame Induction". Patch (Press release).
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mayor O'Dekirk Bio". City of Joliet. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Robert O'Dekirk - Attorney at Law". O’Dekirk, Allred and Associates, LLC. Retrieved October 10, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 "O'Dekirk to run for mayor of Joliet". The Times Weekly. January 14, 2014.
  7. ↑ Mary Owen (March 7, 2011). "Council candidate faces residency questions". TribLocal – via Chicago Tribune.
  8. ↑ Scott Viau (May 4, 2015). "O'Dekirk Sworn in as Joliet Mayor". Patch.
  9. 1 2 Bob Okon (April 7, 2015). "O'Dekirk wins Joliet mayoral race". The Herald-News.
  10. ↑ Bob Okon (July 25, 2017). "Police called to Anthony's 132 times over three years". The Herald-News.
  11. ↑ Brock A. Stein (January 27, 2016). "Mayor O'Dekirk boasts of bright future for Joliet in city address". The Times Weekly.
  12. ↑ Bob Okon (August 2, 2017). "Anthony's decision official, mayor addresses 'professional relationship' with bar". The Herald-News.


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