Commissioner Bill Lowry is a lifelong Chicago south-sider, husband of 31 years to Dr. Cheryl Watson-Lowry, proud father of three children, Bill, Jr., Evan, & Clarke, and Cook County’s Commissioner of the 3rd District.
An attorney and president of the law firm Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie & Lowry, Commissioner Lowry has practiced law for over 30 years. Commissioner Lowry also serves on numerous boards including the Boards of Lake Forest College and Loyola University School of Law, where he helped start scholarship funds for students of color. Commissioner Lowry served as Vice Chair of the Illinois Capital Developmental Board, giving voice to the import of true engagement of minority, female, and veteran business enterprises. Commissioner Lowry’s commitment to gun violence prevention grew even stronger in 2013, after fifteen-year-old Hadiya Pendleton became a victim of senseless gun violence mere steps from the Commissioner’s backyard. This horrific event led Commissioner Lowry to start The It’s Time Organization, or TITO, a non-violence organization which provided after school programming and summer internships for high school students.
In his role as Cook County Commissioner, Commissioner Lowry works to foster economic development throughout the 3rd District. His premier piece of legislation, the Good Faith Effort Transparency Report, provides governmental transparency and promotes participation for M/W/PBEs (minority, women, and people with disability business enterprises). Another premier piece of Commissioner Lowry’s legislation was forming the Cook County Cannabis Commission, which has a primary goal to ensure that social equity applicants can contribute and benefit in this new industry. Commissioner Lowry was the main sponsor and advocate for the Cook County resolution Requesting Meeting of Cook County Separately Elected Officials and Departments To Discuss County-Wide Anti-Violence Strategy. This resolution created the joint committee between the Health and Hospital committee and the Criminal Justice Committee to review reports and discuss testimony from nine separately elected Cook County officials and departments involved in the criminal justice system. This meeting was the first meeting of its kind to address Anti-Violence Strategy in Cook County. The ultimate goal of this meeting is the creation of a task force or commission to substantively address the gun violence and crime across Cook County. Commissioner Lowry and his colleagues at the County intend the task force to coordinate on strategy across different government jurisdictions and municipalities to find and implement solutions to gun violence.
Commissioner Lowry collaborates with his colleagues on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and across government, public, and private sectors to provide workforce development & job placement. Commissioner Lowry understands the importance of working to develop strategies to keep our children out of the criminal justice system. Commissioner Lowry supports bail reform and the electronic monitoring program, in addition to job creation and mental healthcare, as violence prevention strategies. He believes that returning citizens need jobs, shelter and transportation to ensure a new start. Commissioner Lowry vows to continue working to ensure affordable healthcare, including mental healthcare, is available for everyone in the 3rd District and Cook County.
Commissioner Lowry strives to provide effective leadership rooted in communication, collaboration and action; and is proud to serve the people of Cook County.