Morton Grove Action Party Announces Slate

The Morton Grove Action Party has announced its slate of candidates for the April 2013 municipal election. 

The following is a statement from the party.

Five seats on Morton Grove’s Village Board will be on the ballot:  village president, village clerk, and three village trustee positions.

The Action Party has slated Daniel J. Staackmann for the office of Village President. Staackmann is currently Mayor and served two terms as trustee on the village board.  He also served on the Morton Grove Park Board for 16 years.  In 2001, Staackmann was awarded the Illinois Association of Park Districts’ “Outstanding Board Member” award.  He has also served as board member, treasurer, and president for the Maine-Niles Special Recreation Association.

As a founding member of the Morton Grove Days Committee, Staackmann served as president of the organization. He is also past treasurer of the Morton Grove Foundation, past board member of the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce, and was honored in 1993 as “Man of the Year” by the Liponi Foundation. In addition, Staackmann is a member of the Morton Grove Moose Lodge, the Sons of the American Legion, and the Luxembourg Brotherhood. Staackmann is a life-long resident of the village, married to his wife, Mary.

Ed Ramos is the Action Party’s candidate for the seat of village clerk.  A Morton Grove resident since 1979, Ramos is an active member and advisor of the Fil-Am Organization of Morton Grove, which has a membership of more than 400 families.  He is very active at St. Martha’s Parish, and is a former member of the Village’s Plan Commission/Zoning Board.  Ramos, an accountant, currently serves as a member of the Finance Commission.  Ramos has a degree in Business from Jose Rizal University in Manila, Philippines.  He and his wife Rebecca, an RN, have raised their two children in Morton Grove.

Bill Grear has been slated by the Action Party for the seat of Trustee.  Grear, currently serving as a trustee, is proud that the Action Party trustees think for themselves and vote their conscience, always putting the best interests of Morton Grove first.  Grear was the president of the Action Party from 2005-2009.  Grear, a life-long resident of Morton Grove, is a member of a large family of 10. Bill and his wife, Janice, have three adult children.

Tony S. Kalogerakos, slated for the seat of Trustee, currently serves as village clerk.  Kalogerakos is an attorney in private practice with offices in both Chicago and Lincolnwood.  He is a graduate of Loyola University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.  Kalogerakos is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association, and Hellenic Bar Association.  He has lived in Morton Grove since 2005, and will be married this fall to Ramina.

John Pietron has also been slated by the Action Party for the seat of Trustee.  Pietron is no stranger to Village government, having served as a commissioner on the Appearance Commission and as Chairperson of the Economic Development Commission.   He is a former Board Member of the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  Pietron has also served in various positions with the REALTORS® Association of NorthWest Chicagoland.  Pietron is a 36-year resident of the Village with his wife, Jan.

“A number of highly-qualified and dedicated residents reached out to be considered as Action Party candidates.  Seeing so many qualified people participate in the candidate screening process shows the high caliber of talented professionals living in Morton Grove who want to help the village be all it can be.  The five people selected for candidacy as our next Village President, Clerk, and three Trustees will offer exemplary dedication and service to all residents of our village,” stated Mark Matz, president of the Action Party of Morton Grove.

Also, the Action Party of Morton Grove cordially invites all residents to attend its Campaign Kick-Off.  Come out to meet and greet the Action Party candidates on Thursday, November 1, 2012, at Tommy’s, 9005 Waukegan Road, Morton Grove. The party begins at 6:30 p.m. and features an all-you-can-eat buffet and a cash bar for $15.  Please RSVP via email: contact@actionparty.org.  

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