Nick Provenzano: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: McHenryWebsite: www.NickProvenzano.comOffice sought: McHenry County Clerk Age: 52Family: I am a 25 year resident of McHenry County. I and my wife, Bridgett, have three children: Kelly attends Lewis University, Ryan attends McHenry County College and Sam attends Montini Catholic School in McHenry. We attend St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Johnsburg.Occupation: I am a McHenry County Board Member and the Senior District Representative for Congressman Randy Hultgren.Education: I graduated from DeVry University with formal training in electronics, computer technology and business management.Civic involvement: I have served as a Member of the McHenry County Board since 2002 and currently serve on the Finance, Transportation, and Legislative Committees. I served as Field Director for Congressman Randy Hultgren's successful reelection campaign in 2012 and as Campaign Manager for Joe Walsh in 2010, successfully unseating 6-year incumbent Melissa Bean in the 8th Congressional District. I also serve on the Board of Directors for the McHenry County Catholic Prayer Breakfast. I am the founder of the Illinois Gun Owners PAC and have previously served on the board of the McHenry County Right to Carry Association.Elected offices held: Nunda Township TrusteeMcHenry County Board MemberHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is that?My guiding principle as I have served the public on the McHenry County Board since 2002 has been a demand for respect for their hard-earned tax dollars. I worked to be their fiscal watchdog because I understand that it is their money that government is spending. That is why I successfully led the fight to keep the County tax levy flat for two years in a row and why I voted against pay raises for elected officials and government employees. I will take that proven track-record of fiscal conservatism to the County Clerk's office. I will put my 25+ years of business experience to use examining the way the office works and seeking out new efficiencies and cost-saving measures. I will hold the line on spending, reduce redundancies, and streamline inefficiencies to ensure we are spending every dollar wisely. I believe the best government is the smallest, most efficient government that lives within its means and isn't burdensome to families and businesses. Those we serve have had to tighten their belts, and with revenues down the county must do the same.What differentiates you most from your opponents in the race?I am the best candidate and most qualified to fill this position because I have experience in three distinct areas that relate to the Clerk's office.First, I have business experience having been involved in international business and economic development for more than 25 years. I was the Director of US International Government Affairs for the World Trade Center Chicago-Illinois, a not-for-profit global trade center committed to expanding international trade between Illinois businesses and world markets. I was recently appointed to the Economic Development Committee of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. I have also worked on international trade via the automotive OEM and aftermarket sectors. This experience will lend itself to managing the Clerk's office and conducting our business.Second, I have many years of government experience. I have served as a Member of the McHenry County Board since 2002 where I currently serve on the Finance Committee which has liaison responsibility to the Clerk's office. I also serve on the Transportation and Legislative Committees. I work as the Senior District Representative for Congressman Randy Hultgren. These experiences will be beneficial in working with other elected leaders in order to accomplish the mission of the County Clerk.Third, I have extensive election experience. Most recently I served as Field Director for Congressman Randy Hultgren's successful reelection campaign in 2012 and as Campaign Manager for Joe Walsh in 2010, successfully unseating 6-year incumbent Melissa Bean in the 8th Congressional District. My political and election experience has allowed me to interact with a number of Clerk's offices which gives me a unique perspective on how to run an effective Clerk's office from the end user's viewpoint.Do you intend to honor the new same sex marriage law in your role as clerk? How do you plan to implement the new law? Are there any challenges the new law presents?If elected as the new McHenry County Clerk, it will be my sworn responsibility to fulfill all duties of the County Clerk's office regardless of how my personal views may or may not relate to those duties. As a result, I will of course honor the new same sex marriage law as County Clerk. If elected, my term would begin a half year after the law takes effect so I would first need to coordinate with the outgoing clerk to ensure the continuance of any processes she has put in place to implement the new law. Beyond that, I welcome any "challenges" that come about because of this new law because I believe it provides a unique opportunity to implement new cost- and time-saving technologies and efficiencies that are needed in the Clerk's office.What is your view of the county clerk's web site? What, if any, changes would you recommend to improve it?I greatly respect outgoing Clerk Kathy Shultz's service to our community and appreciate the hard work she put in to build a top-notch Clerk's office. I intend to build on her successes by significantly advancing technology in the office, including making significant upgrades to the County Clerk's website which is difficult to navigate. I have had the honor of working to advance a number of important causes and candidates over the years, interacting with many Clerk's offices in the process. This experience gives me a unique perspective on what can be done to take the McHenry County Clerk's office to the next level. Modernization will lead to long-term cost savings due to increased efficiency. It will also lead to better and more convenient access to the Clerk's office for the people we serve. Further, it will increase security when storing and transmitting important documents. Finally, it will improve our election process, making it easier to vote, safeguarding the electoral process, and helping us more quickly and accurately report the results. Ultimately, I want to make interacting with the Clerk's office easier, more efficient, and less expensive for all McHenry County residents.Should any duties of the clerk's office be combined with any other office such as the treasurer or assessor? Why or why not?While I do not see any immediate opportunities for combination, I have made it one of my primary promises to the taxpayers that I would seek out efficiencies in the Clerk's office. This includes any opportunities to coordinate efforts with other departments or agencies. What is important is that we provide the best possible service to those we serve at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayers.Finally, is there anything we haven't asked about that you feel we should know?Over the years I have had the opportunity to work with many leaders whom I respect to bring about reform for the people of McHenry County. I have tried my best to be a conservative reformer. I have fought for increased transparency and accountability for our elected officials. I pushed to have Board Meetings streamed live on the internet. I led the fight for allowing the people of McHenry County to have a voice in selecting their County Board Chairman. As a countywide officeholder and the person who takes the minutes and keeps the records for the County, I can and will continue to be a strong voice advocating for reform in McHenry County. I will lead by example by making my office fully transparent and accountable to the public. In addition, I believe it is important for all our elected officials in McHenry County to be ambassadors for our wonderful county. I will continue to serve in this capacity so that we can foster a business-friendly environment which would create additional good paying jobs for our residents.