Stories of Local Impact: Bob Schillerstrom & Mary O’Connor, Champions for conservation and community progress

Leaders & Legacies: Stories of Local Impact is an ongoing series brought to you in partnership with the Daily Herald and DuPage Foundation. It highlights the inspiring stories of local individuals, families, and businesses who have made or are making a lasting impact for our community through their generosity and leadership.

The series continues with Robert J. Schillerstrom and Mary O’Connor of Naperville. DuPage Foundation thanks The Morton Arboretum for recommending Bob and Mary for this feature.

Bob Schillerstrom grew up in Naperville and has spent more than four decades committed to serving it and the broader community of DuPage County, which he’s always called home.

One of six siblings, Bob knew Naperville in the 1960s when it was a small farm town. He was often fishing, exploring nearby forests, and playing baseball with friends. These experiences shaped Bob’s future views on the importance of clean waterways and the need for accessible, open land areas.

Though he relocated downstate and to Chicago while pursuing his education, upon his return to Naperville, Bob jumped at the opportunity to get involved.

“Growing up, I knew all of the great natural spaces around town, but developments were eating up the cool places I remembered,” Bob said. “In 1983, I joined the Naperville Park District board, which had the unique ability to purchase open land along the river. I encouraged the park district to prioritize land purchases while it was available and advance other initiatives later.”

Bob’s father, Glen, was a businessman, local lawyer and accountant, as well as a member of the Naperville Lions Club, a founding member of Naperville Elderly Homes (NEH) — now Martin Avenue Apartments — and an overall cheerleader for Naperville.

The Schillerstrom family has had a representative on the NEH Board since its founding in 1974, a role currently held by Bob’s brother, John. Bob’s mother, Nancy, was actively involved in local politics.

Seeing his family’s community involvement firsthand had a significant impact on Bob, as he learned that to have a great community, many diverse people needed to contribute to its success.

While working as a felony prosecutor in the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s office in Wheaton in 1980, Bob met his wife, Mary, also a felony prosecutor.

Similar to Bob, Mary grew up experiencing a life devoted to service, as her father’s military career included time in both World War II and the Korean War. As newlyweds, Bob and Mary discovered a mutual passion for nurturing the many assets present in DuPage.

Both Bob and Mary have served the county and state in numerous capacities, including appointed and elected positions, on top of pursuing active legal careers, dedicating time to local nonprofits, and raising their three children, Connor, Curtis and Katie.

“In addition to Naperville’s remarkable amenities, like the school system, recreational activities, a culturally diverse population, and central location, there are countless volunteer organizations headquartered here,” Mary said. “Like many of our generous neighbors, Bob and I knew there were various ways, big and small, we could use our individual skill sets to support these groups.”

From 1983 to today, Bob has served on a variety of boards and committees, including The Morton Arboretum Board of Trustees, where he currently serves as chair; the Choose DuPage Board of Directors; the DuPage County Water Commission; the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County Board of Commissioners; the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition; and the Rush Copley Medical Center Board of Directors, among others.

Mary utilized her legal background as a board member of Crime Stoppers of Naperville and served on the board of Naper Settlement. She was also a longtime volunteer for DuPagePads.

“The impact of Bob and Mary’s broad-based and strategic service to DuPage County is unmatched,” said Chris Burke, a friend of Bob and Mary, fellow conservationist, and the founder and CEO of Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. “No family has collectively served in a more robust way than they have.”

During his tenure as a DuPage County Board member (1986-1992) and then chairman (1998-2010), Bob helped modernize the area’s infrastructure systems, preparing DuPage for its significant growth.

His ability to make impactful decisions in the moment, in order to prepare for the future, was instrumental. Many counties faced infrastructure challenges during this period, but DuPage County’s economic position remained strong, largely because of Bob’s leadership.

He prioritized countywide projects pertaining to stormwater, wetlands, zoning, roadway systems, and open space. Often mentioned as a side note in the history of the area’s development, it is these well-managed facilities that have attracted, and continue to attract, residents to DuPage.

“Bob has always understood the connection between clean water and open space and people’s quality of life,” said Brook McDonald, president and CEO of The Conservation Foundation. “As DuPage County Board chairman, he encouraged businesses to move their headquarters here, and the first place he showed their corporate leaders was the forest preserves. He was confident that DuPage County was a place their employees would want to live, work, and play.”

Bob’s ecoconscious beliefs and ability to articulate the value of an interconnected community have supported the advancement of several establishments, including The Conservation Foundation, which he chaired from 1994-98.

During that time, Bob assigned McDonald the essential task of growing the donor and member bases. Today, The Conservation Foundation’s impact spans multiple counties and protects area waterways, including the DuPage River. Support from individuals like Bob and Mary has been critical to the integrity and ultimate impact of the foundation.

“As highly respected community members, it sends a strong message to others to see Bob and Mary supporting a specific mission,” McDonald said. “The Schillerstrom stamp-of-approval effect is real as their name resonates with credibility.”

A visionary rooted in purpose, Bob has woven together the often-disparate worlds of business, government, and nonprofit work, creating unlikely alliances in the name of open spaces and environmental stewardship.

“Bob is the consummate connector,” said Jill Koski, president and CEO of The Morton Arboretum. “He is always thinking about how the great work that different entities are doing can come together for the betterment of us all.”

For example, while serving as chairman of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in 2017, Bob recognized an opportunity for utilizing highway right-of-way space for long-term conservation. He led a joint effort with The Morton Arboretum to form the Illinois Tollway Trees Initiative, further solidifying his position as an environmental steward.

“I believe we always perform better in a partnership rather than in a silo,” Bob said. “By looking for opportunities and potential synergies, I’ve been able to advance considerable projects that would not have been successful if attempted unaided.”

The Trees Initiative is focused on research, tree selection, and long-term maintenance to ensure the success and health of the new plantings, despite how difficult it can be to grow trees on roadside ground. The Tollway has added more than 60,000 trees and shrubs to its 290 miles of land. It is continually adding native pollinator plants and creating living snow fences.

“The Tollway’s infrastructure development was necessary, and its environmental effects could be offset by advancing tree planting and conservation goals,” Koski said. “Bob had the foresight to push this initiative forward, one that can be reproduced by other entities looking to plant trees in difficult-to-grow conditions.”

Leadership at the highly skilled and highly committed level, as required by organizations such as The Morton Arboretum, can be hard to find. The property spans 1,700 acres, utilizes more than 1,000 volunteers, and engages numerous agencies to manage operations. An Arboretum trustee since 2011 and current chair of its board, Bob is up for the challenge.

“Bob takes on leadership tasks for extensive, complicated organizations and executes them well,” Koski said. “He provides critical consult, weighing the benefits and risks to ensure long-term success.”

With no direct public funding, philanthropic support is essential to the Arboretum’s ability to serve the region as well as its global programs that extend beyond its grounds.

Bob is focused on honoring the legacy of Joy Morton, who founded the Arboretum in 1922, and forwarding the organization’s mission into its second century.

Tree planters and tremendous gardeners themselves, the Schillerstroms exemplify the missions of the causes they support. To learn more about the legacy of Joy Morton, see our June 2021 Leaders & Legacies feature online.

“A lot of people are visionaries with strategic ideas, but no one is following them,” said Kevin Artl, president & CEO of American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois, and a former colleague of Bob’s at the Illinois Tollway. “Bob has the unique ability to generate a thought-out, impactful vision, share it with others who enthusiastically buy in, and then, all together, work collectively to execute it.”

Strong advocates of mentorship, both Bob and Mary give myriad guidance to those looking to get involved in government, law, or their community.

“Brief phone calls and small acts of kindness can be transformational to the person we’re meeting with,” Bob said. “None of us have success on our own.”

One of the reasons for Bob's own success is the simple advice he has shared with past mentees and the next generation of advocates.

“He recommended I take every meeting that’s offered,” Artl said. “You never know when the person you’re meeting with will become a future partner, with whom you’ll share the power to improve our corner of the world.”

For more than 40 years, Bob Schillerstrom and Mary O’Connor have been tireless advocates behind a greener, more connected DuPage County.

Whether rallying city leaders or inspiring local youth, their mission hasn’t wavered: to ensure that conservation and community progress walk hand in hand. Their value to area organizations is indisputable, but the personal significance outweighs it all.

“You don’t need to have a lot of money to make an impact,” Mary said. “We’ve benefited personally from performing these acts of service just as much as the people who we were supporting did. It’s the most rewarding way to live.”

The Leaders & Legacies series is brought to you by the Legacy Society of DuPage Foundation. Suggestions for future stories can be sent to Kait Balsewicz, director of donor and community engagement at kait@dupagefoundation.org.

Interested in learning more about how you can make an impact or create a legacy for your community and favorite causes? Learn more at dupagefoundation.org or contact (630) 665-5556.

DuPage Foundation is located at 3000 Woodcreek Drive, Suite 310, in Downers Grove, IL 60515.