Editorial: Former Long Grove mayor worked to encourage more women in business, politics

When former Long Grove Village President Maria Rodriguez passed away last week at the age of 62, the state and the suburbs lost an accomplished public servant and a much-needed voice of reason in local, state and national politics.

In addition, importantly, we also lost an ardent advocate for women in leadership roles both inside politics and out.

Rodriguez' career in politics began when she became Long Grove village clerk in 1993. The next year, she was elected to the village board. She later served two terms as village president beginning in 2005, and she ran for Congress in 2010. Her final foray in elected politics was a run for Illinois lieutenant governor along with state Sen. Bill Brady in his unsuccessful 2014 bid for the Republican nomination for governor. After that, she remained active in political circles and local government but also turned her attention to a passion to promote women, particularly mothers, in leadership.

In 2016, she founded the agency "The Leader is YOU!" with the goal of helping mothers tap into what she saw as their instinctive leadership traits.

In a 2017 guest column for the Daily Herald outlining her philosophy, Rodriguez emphasized the "relentless management decisions and NASA-worthy logistical skills" mothers demonstrate every day.

"Many mothers are responsible for maintaining the family finances and adhering to budgets," she wrote. "Mothers are also masterful at working together with quirky, often strong-willed personalities. Since you can't fire your kids or other family members for underperforming, you find ways to get everyone on board with guidelines that foster a productive family life. Aren't these the same leadership qualities and skill-sets we look for in professional or political leaders?"

She honed her ideas even further in a 2018 book co-written with author Liz Samuel Richards "Run, Jane, Run ... We Need You In Office!"

A central idea in her philosophy was that women, mothers especially, have played important roles in the success of cultural movements throughout history. She noted that the insights, temperament and distinctive skills inherent in women leaders are particularly in demand in today's complex business and political worlds.

It's an important message, and though the influence of women continues to grow in public life - even to the point of a woman holding the second-highest office in the country - we still have far to go. Despite Kamala Harris' position as U.S. vice president, the proportion of women in Congress has inched to its current record of just under 27%, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. While 42% of Illinois state senators and 39% of state representatives are women, Daily Herald reporting has shown that in local government, women lag far behind in positions on elected boards and, especially, in the top jobs of mayor or village president.

Since her death, Rodriguez has been lauded for the constructive approach she brought to political leadership and for the spirit of public service that guided her actions. These are of course welcome reflections on any political legacy, but we also take a moment to honor the significant efforts she made toward the advancement of women - and mothers - in government, business and community life.