Todd Stroger facts for kids

Todd H. Stroger was born on January 14, 1963. He is a politician from the Democratic Party. He used to be the president of the Cook County, Illinois Board. He also served as an alderman for the 8th ward in Chicago.

In 2001, the mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, chose him to join the Chicago City Council. Todd Stroger is the son of John Stroger. His father was also the Cook County Board president for 12 years before he passed away.

On February 2, 2010, Todd Stroger ran for re-election as President of the Cook County Board. He finished last in the Democratic primary election. This meant he would not be the party's candidate for the main election. After this, he was in a "lame duck" stage. This means he stayed in office but knew he would be leaving soon. Toni Preckwinkle won the primary and later the main election. She took over as president on December 6, 2010.

In 2021, Stroger worked as the village administrator for Robbins, Illinois. A village administrator helps manage a town's daily operations.

Early Life and Education

Todd Stroger grew up in the Chatham-Avalon neighborhood. This area is on the South Side of Chicago. He went to Gordon Tech high school. Later, he earned his bachelor's degree from Xavier University in New Orleans. Before he became an alderman, he worked as an investment banker. This job involves helping people and companies manage their money.

Political Career

In 1992, Todd Stroger was elected as a State Representative. He represented the 31st District of Illinois. A State Representative helps make laws for their state. Before this, he worked for Cook County. He was a statistician, which means he worked with numbers and data. He also supervised juries for the county. Later, he worked for the Chicago Park District.

Stroger also helps raise money for good causes. He is an active fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund. This fund helps students attend college. He is also a member of the Young Democrats. This group helps young people get involved in politics.

Alderman in Chicago

In 2001, Mayor Richard M. Daley chose Todd Stroger to become an alderman. He replaced Lorraine Dixon, who had passed away. An alderman is a member of a city council. They help make decisions for the city.

Stroger served on seven important committees in the city council. These committees focused on different areas. They included the city's budget, housing, human relations, and police and fire services.

Running for County Board President in 2006

On March 14, 2006, Todd Stroger's father, John Stroger, had a serious stroke. John Stroger had been the Cook County Board of Commissioners president since 1994. This happened just one week before the Democratic primary election. Even after his stroke, John Stroger won the primary election. He received about 53 percent of the votes.

For many months after his stroke, John Stroger was not seen in public. His family did not share much information about his health. At first, Todd Stroger was not sure if his father would stay in the race. But in May, he said his father would return to office.

Eventually, John Stroger decided to step down from his position. At the same time, it was announced that Todd Stroger would run for his father's presidential seat. This news came just after the deadline for other candidates to join the race.

Todd Stroger became the main candidate for the position. On July 18, 2006, the Cook County Democratic Central Committee chose him. This group is made up of about 80 Democratic party leaders. They voted for Todd Stroger to replace his father as the candidate. The next day, Bobbie Steele was chosen to be the interim president. She served until a new president was elected.

Later Political Roles

Todd Stroger also ran in the Democratic primary for the 2020 Cook County clerk of courts election. However, he later decided to withdraw from the race. This happened because not enough of the signatures he collected were approved.

In April 2021, Darren E. Bryant became the mayor of Robbins, Illinois. He announced that he wanted Todd Stroger to be the village administrator. In October 2021, Stroger's role changed. He became an executive assistant to Mayor Bryant. Jasmine Washington took over as the new village administrator.