(This is the first in a series of e-newsletter profiles featuring members of the Kane County Board.) In addition to being a member of the Kane County Board since 2004, Thomas R. "Tom" Van Cleave has worn many hats, at work and in his community, and has taken lead roles in efforts to improve local education, municipal planning and business development.
Tom was elected by his county board peers in December to be their vice chairman. His term runs through November, 2012. A long-time resident of Batavia, he currently is a member of the board's Riverboat Grant, Public Service, Public Health, Administration, Human Services and Executive Committees. He serves as vice chair of the last two.
When away from county government, the District 10 board member is Director of Sales and Marketing at The Clare at Water Tower in Chicago. A former, two-term president of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, he also has been a member of the Batavia Rotary Club for more than 25 years. He was a member of the Batavia Plan Commission for 20 years and the Batavia Board of Education for 12, including four as president, prior to being elected to the county board.
Before venturing into the home health care and senior retirement and housing industry - he was director of sales and marketing at The Holmstad, in Batavia, from 2002 to 2007 - Van Cleave spent 20 years in the travel business, as owner, operator and founder of three travel agencies, in Batavia, Warrenville and Glen Ellyn. From 1985 to 2004, he was an adjunct professor at Waubonsee Community College, in Sugar Grove, where he taught courses in travel and tourism.
In 2007 Van Cleave completed the United Counties Council of Illinois/University of Illinois Leadership Academy program. The course was designed to assist local government officials to become better leaders in their communities and to execute best-practice procedures. The program was designed for both elected and appointed officials.
Van Cleave said he takes pride in having established a respectful working relationship with his board colleagues even while occasionally taking a position on an issue that is contrary to the board majority's but, in his view, is best for Kane County.
"My goal in holding public office is to always listen to my constituents and try to uphold their goals for our community. I am always anxious to listen to both sides of an issue," said Van Cleave. A 35-year resident of Batavia, Van Cleave was born in Silverton, Oregon and grew up in Danville, Ill. He and Elizabeth, his wife of 35 years, have three adult children.
###