Bridget Gainer

Bridget Gainer is a Cook County Commissioner, representing the County’s 10th district. She has served as Commissioner since her appointment in 2009 for the 10th district, which includes Chicago wards 39-41 and 43-50, Illinois State Senate districts 5-8 and 10, Illinois State House districts 10-16, and US Congressional districts 5 and 9.

Bridget Gainer
Member of the
Cook County Board of Commissioners
from the 10th district
Assumed office
April 12, 2009
Preceded byMike Quigley
Vice President of Global Affairs, Aon Corporation
Personal details
Born1968/1969 (age 51–52)[1]
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Dennis Kibby
Children3
EducationUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BA)
University of Chicago (MBA)

Bio

Gainer was born and raised in the Beverly neighborhood on Chicago's south side.[2]

In 1990, she graduated from University of Illinois with a bachelor of arts in English and political science. Afterwards, she moved to New York City to work as a community organizer with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. While in college, she worked as a cocktail waitress at Butch McGuire's on Division Street, quoted saying, "The day I turned 21, I got a job as a waitress at Butch McGuire's, next to She-nannigans. Like thousands of women before and after me, those tips helped pay for college and make ends meet post-graduation."[3]

She moved back to Chicago in 1994 to continue her work as community organizer to work with local community members to keep schools open later in the day for after-school programming. From there, Gainer worked for former Mayor Richard M. Daley as a budget analyst in Chicago's City Hall.[4] She then went on to work for the Park District as the Director of the Lakefront Parks.

Gainer later went on to join Aon in a financial role and continues to work for Aon today as Vice President of Global Public affairs.[5]

Gainer has an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Gainer is married to Dennis Kibby and has three children.[1]

Political career

Gainer was initially appointed to the seat in April 2009 to replace former commissioner Mike Quigley, who won the special election to fill former Congressman Rahm Emanuel's seat when Emanuel left Congress to become White House Chief of Staff to President Obama. She beat out other contenders, including openly gay lawyer Jay Paul Deratany, now Alderman Michele Smith, Quigley's former Chief of Staff Kim Walz, Jim Madigan, former city attorney Sara Ellis, Democratic National Committee affiliated lawyer Robert Block, and electrician Michael Hickey. [6]To date, Gainer has never run a competitive election against an actual opponent. The committee that selected Gainer to fill the vacancy was made up of 11 members, including Former State Senator Carol Ronen, Chicago's 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney, Former Chicago 46th Ward Alderman Tom Sharpe, and Former 40th Ward Alderman Pat O'Connor. [7] As commissioner she ensured the CCLBA works independently from the Cook County Board earning revenue from the property sales and reinvesting into the budget to provide an infrastructure to provide additional resources for first-time home buyers and small neighborhood developers. Since the program began, 400 homes have been purchased and rehabbed.[3]

  • Worked to reform the county lobbying ordinance in a stated effort to be more transparent.[4]
  • Voted against video gaming in bars [6]

In 2015, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Gainer founded a Chicago chapter of Off the Sidelines, a civic impact organization for women which gained over 3,000 members.[7]

In 2017, Off the Sidelines Chicago was renamed Cause the Effect Chicago.[9]

Controversies

Despite mulling a bid for Chicago mayor since Richard M. Daley's retirement in 2011, Gainer ultimately took her name out of the race for mayor in the 2019 election despite raising over $800,000 and hiring a full campaign staff. Insiders point to over $16,500 in speed-camera, red-light camera, and parking fines as one possible reason for her reluctance to run. She also has the highest absentee rate of any Cook County Commissioner, missing 32% of County Board meetings and 38% of Forest Preserve meetings. [8] She had also come under scrutiny for her driving record[9] and attendance at legislative sessions. Over her tenure on the County Board Gainer missed 32% of County Board meetings[10] and 38% of Forest Preserve meetings. [11]

In November 2018, Chicago public radio station WBEZ sued Cook County in relation to e-mails the government would not release as part of a FOIA.[12]

References
  1. Is Bridget Gainer a Mayoral Contender?
  2. Ruthhart, Bill. "Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer won't run against Emanuel for mayor". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  3. "She-nannigans to host event for local women running for office Feb. 8". Windy City Times.
  4. Ruthhart, Bill. "Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer won't run against Emanuel for mayor". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  5. tlemke (2017-09-21). "Bridget Gainer". U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-30.
  6. "Gainer selected to replace Quigley". Windy City Times. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  7. "Gainer selected to replace Quigley". Windy City Times. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  8. "Reverse Gainer: Why she walked right up to mayoral pool — but won't dive in". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  9. "Fast lane: Potential challenger to Mayor Rahm Emanuel racks up tickets from city". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  10. "4 Cook County Board members missed 38% or more meetings in past 5 years: survey". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  11. "2 Cook County commissioners missed over a third of Forest Preserve meetings". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2018-10-21.
  12. "WBEZ Sues Cook County For Commissioner's Emails Regarding Political Fund". WBEZ. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
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