Bill Lowry
Bill Lowry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners from the 3rd District | |
| Assumed office November 6, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Jerry Iceman Butler |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 21, 1962 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Dr. Cheryl Watson-Lowry |
| Children | Bill Lowry, Jr., Evan Lowry, Clarke Lowry |
| Residence(s) | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | Lake Forest College |
| Occupation | Attorney, President and Co-Managing Shareholder of Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, P.C. |
| Website | www |
Bill Lowry (born October 21, 1962) is an American politician and lawyer. He is a member of the Democratic Party and currently serves as a commissioner for the 3rd district of Cook County.[1][2] Lowry is also the president and co-managing shareholder of Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, P.C., a law firm based in the Midwest.[3][4]
In 2013, following the tragic shooting of Hadiya Pendleton, a high school student who was killed near his home, Lowry founded The It's Time Organization (TITO), an anti-violence group specifically focused on addressing youth violence in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Wards.[3][4]
Early Life and Education
Lowry was born and raised on the South Side of Chicago. He is the son of William E. Lowry Jr., a business executive and former Major League Baseball player, and Lil Lowry, a civil rights leader and retired educator.
Education
Lowry attended St. Francis De Sales High School, where he played point guard on the basketball team. Following a gunfire incident, he transferred to Francis W. Parker School. He later enrolled at Lake Forest College, majoring in history with a minor in political science, and earned his undergraduate degree in 1984. Subsequently, Lowry attended Loyola University Law School, where he graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1987. During his time at Lake Forest College, he became involved in local politics, joining a youth coalition that supported the 1983 mayoral campaign of former Chicago Mayor Harold Washington, where he participated in canvassing neighborhoods to engage with voters.[5]
Career
Legal Career
Upon graduation from law school Lowry started his career in employer liability and workers' compensation law. Currently, Lowry serves as a president and equity partner of Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, P.C., a law firm in downtown Chicago.[3][6]
Political Career
In 2018, Lowry announced his candidacy for the 3rd district seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and emerged as the Democratic Party's nominee for the 3rd district seat.[7] His opponent in the general election was George Blakemore, who represented the Republican Party. Lowry won the election with 89.57% of the total votes.[8] He also won the 2022 election cycle.[9][10][11]
Personal Life
Lowry is married to Cheryl D. Watson-Lowry, a dentist. They raised three 3 children: Bill Jr., a graduate of Loyola law school; Evan, a graduate of DePaul University; and Clarke, a graduate of the University of Southern California.[4]
Committee Assignments
Cook County Board of Commissioners committee memberships
- Audit
- Business and Economic Development
- Contact Compliance
- Criminal Justice
- Health and Hospitals
- Emergency Management and Regional Security
- Finance (Vice-Chair)
- Environment and Sustainability (Chairman)
- Labor
- Legislation and Intergovernmental Relation
- Litigation (Vice-Chair)
- Rules and Administration (Chair)
- Transportation
- Veterans
- Zoning and Building
Forest Preserve District Board Committee Memberships
- Audit
- Contact Compliance
- Finance (Chair)
- Labor
- Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations
- Litigation (Vice-Chair)
- Real Estate
- Rules and Administration (Chair)
Electoral History
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Lowry | 75,868 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 75,868 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Lowry | 34,896 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 34,896 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Lowry | 101,576 | 89.6 | |
| Republican | George Blakemore | 11,834 | 10.4 | |
| Total votes | 113,410 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Lowry | 17,814 | 33.3 | |
| Democratic | Patricia Horton | 11,518 | 21.5 | |
| Democratic | Charise Williams | 9,373 | 17.5 | |
| Democratic | Joshua Gray | 5,145 | 9.6 | |
| Total votes | 53,517 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | George Blakemore | 2,030 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 2,030 | 100 | ||
References
- ^ "Cook Co. leaders propose free cancer screenings for residents during their birthday month". ABC7 Chicago. 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ "Lowry calls joint committee meeting on gun crime and car thefts". Hyde Park Herald. 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ a b c "Crain's Chicago names William Lowry '84 a 'Notable Black Leader'". lakeforest.edu. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ a b c "Bill Lowry seeks to become the next Cook County Commissioner of the 3rd District". chicagocrusader.com. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Cook County Board 3rd District Democratic candidate: Bill Lowry". Chicago Sun-Times. 2018-03-11. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ "Commissioner Bill Lowry Named Outstanding Legislator of the Year - Taylor Media". 2019-11-22. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ "Bill Lowry: Candidate for Cook County Commissioner, 3rd District". WTTW News. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ "Bill Lowry wins 3rd District Cook County commissioner seat". Chicago Sun-Times. 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ Strausberg, Chinta (2024-10-07). "Commissioner Lowry introduces free screening resolution". Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ Team, CBS Chicago (2024-09-19). "Cook County offers free cancer screenings to residents - CBS Chicago". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
- ^ "Cook County Board 3rd District Democratic candidate: Bill Lowry". Chicago Sun-Times. 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2025-01-01.