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3 Arlington Heights Mayoral Candidates Share Backgrounds, Hopes

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From left: Jon Ridler, Jim Tinaglia, Tom Schwingbeck


Three individuals are running for Arlington Heights’ four-year mayoral seat in the April 1 election, all who have already served the community in various ways.

Those running for mayor are current trustees Tom Schwingbeck, Jr. and Jim Tinaglia, along with Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jon Ridler.

Schwingbeck, 66, has lived in Arlington Heights with his wife for almost 37 years. They have two adult children. Professionally, he is a metallurgical engineer and president of his own company, RNM & Associates, providing sales and consulting services for the forging and casting industry.

He earned an MBA from Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University. His undergraduate degrees are a Bachelor of Arts in German Language and Literature and a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Schwingbeck said he was elected into local politics with a strong desire to serve the community.

Ridler, 57, has worked in Arlington Heights since 2004 as the executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce and moved his family to Arlington Heights in 2013. He has been married for the past 28 years and has four adult children.

Ridler possesses an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and worked for two years before going back to finish his bachelor’s degree. He also has a master’s certificate in Non-Profit Management.

“I have served Arlington Heights for 20 years as the executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce,” Ridler noted. “In addition, I also manage the Rolling Meadows and Palatine chambers in a collaborative structure to maximize regional economic development. My previous career was in the hospitality industry working in various hotels and at the Elgin Convention and Visitors Bureau.”

Jim Tinaglia, 62, has lived in the village for 53 years. He attended Ridge Elementary School, Thomas Middle School and graduated in 1980 from Arlington High School. He has been married for the last 36 years and has four adult children.

Professionally, he is a licensed architect and founder of Tinaglia Architects, Inc. since 1991.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Iowa State University in 1985.

“As an appointed member of the Arlington Heights Zoning Board of Appeals and as a village trustee, I have been able to serve the village by planning strategies and implementing policies to better the quality of life for our residents,” Schwingbeck said. “My motivation today is the same as it was 10 years ago, and that is to serve my community.”

Schwingbeck says the village is experiencing unprecedented turnover in its leadership with the mayor and four trustee positions on the April 1 ballot.

“As a trusted and experienced member of the village board, I am running for mayor to bring continuity to the leadership of our village while guiding us into a new era,” Schwingbeck said. “Fiscal responsibility, growth and development requires a leader with a clear vision for the future of our village. I can bring that vision to reality.”

According to Ridler, he wants to bring a “bold and innovative agenda” rooted in collaboration, vision and leadership, which he said is needed to lead Arlington Heights into a thriving future.

When it comes to resident-focused leadership, he believes in prioritizing transparency, fiscal responsibility, and community engagement. He also wants to strengthen business retention and recruitment by driving economic growth and lowering property taxes.

When it comes to the former Arlington Park property, Ridler wants a visionary plan for economic opportunity and community benefit through data driven decisions and revenue certainty.

He would also like to see enriching arts and events in the community by celebrating Arlington Heights through a balanced investment in Uptown, Southtown, and Downtown events to ensure all neighborhoods thrive.

Lastly, he believes in transformational leadership for village governance by inspiring collaborative leadership and empowering residents.

“As mayor, I will bring transformational leadership, transparent governance, and innovative ideas to strengthen all of Arlington Heights,” Ridler commented.

“I have been, continue to be, and always will be fully committed, invested and involved with all things Arlington Heights,” Tinaglia said. “I was raised here. My wife Cindy was raised here. And we, together, chose to raise our four children in this town that we both love. Personally, my involvement began with attending our incredible public schools in fourth grade, playing local youth sports, volunteering as a youth coach (13 years) and as a Frontier Days, Inc. volunteer (8 years), and serving on a park district youth advisory committee (8 years).”

Professionally, he founded his business in Arlington Heights, which has been in existence since 1991, and as a public servant he has served on the village’s design commission (appointed by former mayor Arlene Mulder, 11 years) and elected as a village trustee for the last 12 years.

“This unique combination of my experiences in Arlington Heights — personal, professional and as a public servant, demonstrates my in-depth commitment to our community,” Tinaglia said. “Together, they have formed the foundation for me to competently and successfully lead our community as mayor, as it gives me what I believe to be the most unique and deeply rooted background to understand where we have been, where we are now, and where we can go, by honoring our past, present and future.”




The post 3 Arlington Heights Mayoral Candidates Share Backgrounds, Hopes first appeared on Journal & Topics Media Group.

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