Meet Tom Chavez
My name is Tom Chavez, and I am running for Elmhurst District 205 School Board.
I was born in Chicago, and grew up in the Kankakee, IL area.
I spent much of my young adult life living and working in Chicago. I am a graduate of DePaul University, and have worked as a commodity trader, broker, and risk analyst for more than 30 years.
I have been married to my wife, Sue Chavez, for 29 years and we have 3 children Olivia (22), Marissa (20) and Andrew (17).
Our family moved to Elmhurst in 2006 from the Lakeview neighborhood in Chicago, for among other reasons, the excellent reputation of the public schools.
Upbringing, Values and Guiding Principles
My father, 85-years old, is a soon to be retired orthodontist, and my mother supported my father while managing a household of 7 children.
My parents instilled the values of hard work, commitment, honesty, compassion, treating others as you wish to be treated and emphasized the importance of education. They set expectations high, held us accountable to live up to them, and there were consequences when we fell short.
As parents, my wife and I have striven to pass on these core values and guiding principles to our children.
We chose Elmhurst because we wanted a strong public education system with a reputation for academic excellence and a community where character counts.
As a member of the Board of Education I will work hard to restore academic excellence to District 205, and strengthen the core values and principles that can unite our community.
Volunteerism
Elmhurst Baseball League – Head Coach
Elmhurst Airborne – Assistant Coach
AYSO – Head Coach
YMCA – Indian Princess Chief
Kidz Express – South Austin Neighborhood, Chicago
The organization expands opportunities for children and youth who reside in one of the nation’s most under-served and economically distressed communities, Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood. I have worked as a tutor and mentor to children and young adults at the center since 2020.