John Burns:
Slated for Village Clerk.
Slated for Village Clerk.
Candidate Bio
I am running for Village Clerk because:
It’s been my privilege to serve as Village Clerk for the past four years and I would like to continue my service. Serving provides me opportunities to learn more about the operation and governance of our community while participating in the public discussion involving residents, local businesses, the Village Board and Village Commissions as matters are considered and deliberated. It also provides the chance to work with the Village’s exceptional management team responsible for daily operations and implementing long-term board-directed plans.
Community Service:
I’ve served on the Village’s Economic Development Commission both as a member and Chair for several years. Those years were the beginning of La Grange’s successful restoration and redevelopment of our downtown central core as it was refreshed and grew. Projects involving streetscape upgrades throughout the downtown area and new development on commercial sites on La Grange Rd now occupied by contemporary retailers from Ogden Ave to the railroad tracks. Concurrently, new residential buildings on Ashland, townhome and condominium buildings on both Burlington and Hillgrove at Kensington and the One Beacon Place condominium building on Ogden east of La Grange Rd.
Professional Experience:
As a former commercial real estate executive, I now work on a consulting/assignment basis for clients. Professionally I served as executive vice president of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago; and, as Senior Vice President/Portfolio Manager for a prominent Chicago real estate services firm. In these career assignments, I lead various management teams while establishing strategic links with real estate, civic and municipal groups on a variety of industry related issues. When not working on consulting projects, I research, develop and give tours and talks on Chicago area history and architecture.
A graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, I served as an Advisory Board Member of UIC’s Center for Urban Real Estate. I also served as a guest instructor for the University of Illinois U-C’s School of Architecture developing and teaching its Management, Leasing and Operations class for architecture & engineering grad students. I’m a member of the LaGrange Area Historical Society, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Realty Club of Chicago and Chicago Tour-Guide Professionals Association. Other memberships have included: Lambda Alpha International, the Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings, the City Club of Chicago and Northern Illinois Commercial Association of Realtors.
La Grange Resident:
I’ve lived in La Grange since 1983.
I am running for Village Clerk because:
It’s been my privilege to serve as Village Clerk for the past four years and I would like to continue my service. Serving provides me opportunities to learn more about the operation and governance of our community while participating in the public discussion involving residents, local businesses, the Village Board and Village Commissions as matters are considered and deliberated. It also provides the chance to work with the Village’s exceptional management team responsible for daily operations and implementing long-term board-directed plans.
Community Service:
I’ve served on the Village’s Economic Development Commission both as a member and Chair for several years. Those years were the beginning of La Grange’s successful restoration and redevelopment of our downtown central core as it was refreshed and grew. Projects involving streetscape upgrades throughout the downtown area and new development on commercial sites on La Grange Rd now occupied by contemporary retailers from Ogden Ave to the railroad tracks. Concurrently, new residential buildings on Ashland, townhome and condominium buildings on both Burlington and Hillgrove at Kensington and the One Beacon Place condominium building on Ogden east of La Grange Rd.
Professional Experience:
As a former commercial real estate executive, I now work on a consulting/assignment basis for clients. Professionally I served as executive vice president of the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago; and, as Senior Vice President/Portfolio Manager for a prominent Chicago real estate services firm. In these career assignments, I lead various management teams while establishing strategic links with real estate, civic and municipal groups on a variety of industry related issues. When not working on consulting projects, I research, develop and give tours and talks on Chicago area history and architecture.
A graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, I served as an Advisory Board Member of UIC’s Center for Urban Real Estate. I also served as a guest instructor for the University of Illinois U-C’s School of Architecture developing and teaching its Management, Leasing and Operations class for architecture & engineering grad students. I’m a member of the LaGrange Area Historical Society, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Realty Club of Chicago and Chicago Tour-Guide Professionals Association. Other memberships have included: Lambda Alpha International, the Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings, the City Club of Chicago and Northern Illinois Commercial Association of Realtors.
La Grange Resident:
I’ve lived in La Grange since 1983.