Hanover Park trustees sworn in by daughter of one, 1st Black female judge in DuPage County
Hanover Park's three reelected village trustees - Herb Porter, Liza Gutierrez and Jon Kunkel - were sworn in Thursday by Porter's elder daughter Chantelle Porter, who in December became the first Black female judge in DuPage County.
Herb Porter, a retired corporate manager, spoke of his family's dedication to community and public service during his campaign for a third term on the village board, as well as why he and his wife Eva moved to Hanover Park back in the early 1980s.
"My wife and I chose to raise our family here because even then the diversity of the village was one that we felt would give our children the multicultural experience and develop a sense of belonging and identity," he said.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary K. O'Brien noted Chantelle Porter's historic appointment as a DuPage County Circuit Court judge in December.
"Chantelle Porter is a highly skilled attorney who has earned the respect of the legal community in DuPage and throughout the 3rd District for her commitment to her clients and to improving the legal profession," O'Brien said in a statement.
Chantelle Porter received the support of the entire Supreme Court.
The judge's mother, retired teacher Eva Porter, just stepped down after a term on the Elgin Area School District U-46 school board.
While Herb Porter and Gutierrez were incumbents during the recent election campaign, Kunkel is returning to the board after a period away and taking the seat of the retiring James Kemper.
With their joining continuing trustees Yasmeen Bankole, Syed Hussaini and Bob Prigge, Mayor Rod Craig spoke of his pride at having a board that was not only caring and experienced, but arguably the most diverse in the entire region.
The same evening also saw the swearing in of reelected Streamwood trustees James Cecille and Mary Thon along with newcomer Nazneen Hashmi.
Though unofficial results on Election Day had Hashmi in fourth place in the five-person race, arriving mail ballots made up the difference for her to claim the third available trustee seat with a mere five votes above the runner-up.