A07, Thomas Gary running for Triton Board of Trustees [D504]

Thomas Gary of Oak Park is running for the Triton College Board. This is the text of the information he has been giving on the campaign trail.

Thomas Gary
Candidate for Triton College Board (District #504)

“A strong educational system is part of the intellectual infrastructure that separates the exceptional communities from the rest.”


Communities develop, grow, and are transformed because of a multitude of factors. But a strong, open, and vibrant educational system is the key to ensuring that a region will grow and transform into an economically diverse and stable one. Thomas Gary is committed to ensuring that Triton College can serve as one of those key factors.

“Triton College can have an important role in the lives of our communities and growth of our businesses, but is beset by internal dialogues and machinations. Triton must, first and foremost, create an open environment that is conducive to academic freedom and creativity. It must uphold rigorous standards of excellence, in both education and business. And Triton’s board must be willing to be held accountable for meeting these standards.”

Only three weeks after his 21st birthday, Thomas Gary was elected to the DeKalb County Board, making him one of the youngest elected officials in the State of Illinois and the first ever African-American elected to the Board. He was elected to two terms there, focusing on open governance and fiscal responsibility.

Thomas Gary worked full-time as a letter carrier and union leader while completing his undergraduate degree in Political Science at Northwestern University—so he is fully in touch with the needs of students juggling the demands of school, work, and family.

Thomas Gary has worked as a legislative assistant, to both State Senator Don Harmon and Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., and whose community service ranges from working with the recently-released parolees to serving on the Service Academy Selection committee for US Senator Barack Obama to fighting for lower utility rates as a member of the Board of Directors for the Citizens Utility Board. In addition, Thomas Gary is an active Reservist with the US Navy and a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Thomas Gary is the husband of one and father of two and lives in Oak Park.