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Affiliation | Democratic |
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Name | Bobbie Steele |
Address | Chicago, Illinois , United States |
Email | None |
Website | [Link] |
Born |
October 18, 1937
(86 years)
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Contributor | COSDem |
Last Modifed | RBH Apr 24, 2020 02:13pm |
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Info | Commissioner Bobbie L. Steele was born in Cleveland, Mississippi where she resided until completion of high school in 1954. She later attended Alabama A.M.A. College in Huntsville, Alabama for two years.
In 1956, Commissioner Bobbie L. Steele came to Chicago?s Westside with the intention of completing her college education. She encountered a great deal of discouragement in the pursuit of finding employment. During this time, she met and married Robert Steele. This bond yielded seven children and twelve grandchildren.
Commissioner Bobbie L. Steele never gave up her dream to complete college. Marriage and family commitment never interfered with the pursuit of this goal. After ten years of night school, Bobbie L. Steele graduated from Chicago?s Teacher?s College in 1966 with a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education. After teaching for a short while, she decided to go back to evening school to achieve a Master?s Degree in Supervision and Administration of Education from Roosevelt University. Commissioner Bobbie L. Steele was happily employed in the Chicago Public School System for more than twenty years. She used her talent, time and training to teach thousands of children and adults how to read.
By 1986, Bobbie L. Steele was ready for a career change. She was encouraged by the late Mayor Harold Washington to seek public office. He was impressed with her involvement with many progressive organizations while still balancing family and career. With the help of Mayor Washington, Bobbie L. Steele was overwhelmingly elected to the Cook County Board of Commissioners with over five hundred thousand votes.
Since elected to the Board of Commissioners, Bobbie L. Steele has distinguished herself as a leader in government. In 1987, she introduced an amendment to Cook County?s Purchasing Ordinance, which established a goal of 25 % participation for minorities and 10% for women on all county purchases. Bobbie L. Steele also Co-sponsored Cook County?s Human Rights and Ethics Ordinances. She is further credited with leading courage to re-open Provident Hospital in 1993. Bobbie L. Steele is currently the longest serving African American woman in the history of Cook County. She is the first and only African American woman to serve as Chairman of the Finance Committee of the Forrest Preserve District of Cook County. The Forrest Preserve District?s annual budget is one hundred thirty two million dollars. She is also Chairman of the Department of Corrections, Education and Contract Compliance Committee.
On a National Level Bobbie L. Steele serves as Chairman of the National Association of Counties Deferred Compensation Advisory Committee. This committee serves as the overseeing body of 7.3 Billion Dollars invested by 380,000 county employees in the 457 plan.
Bobbie L Steele is President of National Association of Black County Officials (NABCO).
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