Thomas M. Bennett, for State Representative. Illinois House District 106

Contact Information

Friends of Tom Bennett

540 Clover Court
Gibson City, Illinois 60936
Phone: 217/784-8540

Dear Friends,

Welcome and thank you for visiting this website.

After serving diligently on the Parkland College Board of Trustees since 1995, I announced on Monday, June 6, 2011, that I was running for the new Illinois House District Seat 106. It is a large district that includes parts of Ford, Vermillion, Iroquois, Livingston, and Woodford counties. It includes many such towns as Gibson City, Paxton, Hoopeston, Potomac, Milford, Onarga, Cissna Park, Buckley, Loda, Melvin, Chatsworth, Elliott, Watseka, Pontiac, Dwight, Flanagan, Roanoke, Benson, Eureka, El Paso, Congerville, and Goodfield.

This website is about change and making things better. We need to focus on what's important to our communities: jobs, the economy, agriculture, and quality education. I want to be your voice and ask for your thoughts and concerns. What are your issues? I look forward to hearing from you as we work together to improve Illinois. You may contact me through the email address shown here.

Government should be an interactive process and I encourage your input. After all, this is your government. I hope you will find this website a useful tool in helping me to serve you better. Please note that tax dollars were not used to bring you this website.

Sincerely,

Tom Bennett
for State Representative,
House District Seat 106

About Thomas M. Bennett

Family Background:

Tom was the fourth of five children raised on a small farm near Gibson City, Illinois. His father fought in World War II in the Pacific and became a farmer after the war. His mother went to Illinois State University, and her first job was teaching 12 students in a one room country school house. By the time Tom was born, his mom worked part-time as a teacher's aide and spent the rest of her time keeping track of five very active children. Tom's dad and mom were very proud that all five children went to college.

Today, Tom works as an IT manager for a national insurance company. Prior to that he was a high school science teacher and a corporate computer software developer and trainer. Tom has a BS in Education, a BS in Applied Computer Science, an MBA, and a Doctorate of Business Administration. Tom and wife Kathy have two grown children and one beautiful granddaughter.

Work Experience:

  • 1985 - Present - Tom works for a large national multi-line insurance company. He has worked as a PLI programmer, systems analyst, corporate mainframe trainer, and currently, a professional development manager in the helpdesk area.
  • From 1978-1985, Tom taught middle school and high school science and math.

Interest in Public Service (boards, committees, activities):

  • 1999 - Present - Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT)
    • 2005 - Present - ACCT Board Member
      • 2010-2011 Immediate Past Chair
      • 2009-2010 Chair
      • 2008-2009 Chair-Elect
      • 2007-2008 Vice Chair
      • 2006-2007 Secretary/Treasurer
    • 1998 - 2005 - Active member
      • 1998 - 2005 - As Associate Committee Member, served on the:
        • Finance and Audit Committee
        • Membership/Communication Committee (helped in the development of the ACCT Trustee Directory)
        • Governance and Bylaws Committee (helped in the review and update of bylaws)
        • Public Policy Committee
      • 2004, Awards Nomination Committee
      • 2004, Ad hoc Committee-Select Committee
      • Completed Levels 1, 2, 3 ACCT Education Designations
      • 2004. 2005 ACCT Quality Consultant
      • Presenter at national and regional meetings
  • 1995 - Present - Active member of Illinois Community College Trustee Association (ICCTA)
    • Past President - 2006-2007
    • President - 2005-2006
    • Vice President - 2004-2005
    • Secretary - 2003-2004
    • Two-term Chair/Co-Chair Diversity Committee
    • 2004 Trustee Education Award recipient
  • 1995 - Present - Parkland College Board Trustee
    • 2005 - Present - Board Vice-Chair
    • 2003 - 2005 - Board Secretary.
  • 1997 - Present - GCMS Education Foundation
    • 2007- Present - Nominating Committee Chair.
    • 1997 - 2007 - President. Tom was the driving force behind this foundation founded in 1997. The Foundation provides additional monies to enhance and expand the quality of education and learning opportunities for GCMS students. Because of his effort, Tom has been nominated by the GCMS Education Association as the 2005 IEA Friends and Advocates honoree.
  • 1989 - 1995 - K-12 School Activities
    • 1993 - 1995 - Vice-President of the Corn Belt Division of the Illinois School Board Association.
    • 1993 - 1995 - Board Secretary to the K-12 Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley (GCMS) School Board.
    • 1993 - Member of the Committee to Consolidate the Gibson City and the Melvin-Sibley School Districts.
    • 1989 - 1993 - A member of the K-12 Gibson City School Board.
  • 1983 - 1989 - Pre-school Education Board (organization provided educational experiences for three and four year old children).
    • 1987 - 1989 - President

Education Accomplishments:

  • 2009 - Doctorate of Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.
  • 1990 - MBA from Illinois State University.
  • 1985 - BS in Applied Computer Science from Illinois State University.
  • 1978 - BS in Education from Eastern Illinois University.

Tom has also taken several classes at Parkland College.

Family/Interests:

  • Tom is especially proud of being a husband, father and grandfather.
  • He relaxes by singing with a local group called Jake's Boys. This is a group of eight men that have sung for Illinois Farm Bureau and other state associations, churches, county fairs, community dinners, and fundraisers all over Illinois since 1997.

Other Community Activities:

  • Rotary International - Paul Harris Fellow
  • Lions Club
  • Lay Speaker - United Methodist Church, Gibson City, IL
  • Precinct committeeman, Drummer 5

Heroes:

Everyone has heroes. Two of my heroes are brothers Bob and Doug. Doug went to Parkland College to learn how to farm with their dad. In the 1970's, the family farm started to go downhill and the family was basically looking to sell out. But somehow, Doug and Bob worked with local bankers to find the financial support to keep things afloat. At an early age, Doug took on a major financial responsibility in running the family farm. That has been over 30-35 years now and Doug has worked hard to make things succeed and has greatly improved both the farm's situation and the quality of its soil. Over the years, Doug has shown excellent creativity, ingenuity, stewardship of the soil, and persistence that I have grown to admire and respect. He took the farm and turned it around when no one thought it could be done. Doug and Bob are real heroes to our family. Together, all three brothers are still involved in the family farm.

Why Run for State Representative House Seat 106?

Tom Bennett lives in Gibson City and serves as the Vice-Chair of the Republican Central Committee of Ford County. Over the years, he has helped to distribute hundreds of signs for national, state, and local elected officials.

Tom Bennett was one of three boys and two girls born and raised on a small farm northwest of Gibson City. In the 1970’s, the farm was going downhill and the banker was ready to foreclose. However, his younger brother put together a plan and with the support of the older brother and Tom, they persuaded the banker to re-finance the operation for another year. That was many years ago and the family farm is still going strong. The family farm taught Tom about work ethic and integrity, business and budgets, and family and commitments. These are values Tom will take to Springfield as your next State Representative.

Tom Bennett has been a community college trustee on the Parkland College Board of Trustees since 1995 and is the only trustee north of Champaign-Urbana. Since Parkland’s doors opened, over 250,000 students have engaged in the variety of courses, certifications, and transfer programs the college has to offer. Tom has witnessed Parkland’s growth, but as a trustee, one of his jobs is to hear to the needs of the communities, meet the needs of the students, and see how Parkland College might help. He listens and then looks to see where Parkland can partner with businesses or other groups to find a resolution. For Parkland College to be ultimately successful, it must be run like a business. He will take this business approach to building partnerships to Springfield as your next State Representative.

Tom Bennett is a past chair of the Illinois Community College Trustee Association and is the first Illinois trustee to serve as chair of the national trustee association, Association of Community College Trustees. As Chair, he helped put a national focus on how community colleges are making an important difference in the neighborhoods they serve. He stressed accountability and supported the Voluntary Framework of Accountability effort that looks to identify measures and metrics that community colleges use to determine their success. These efforts will help community colleges better demonstrate their effectiveness to the communities they serve.

Tom Bennett has worked for State Farm Insurance for over 26 years. It is one of the largest companies in the country and in the world, and he is proud to work there. The people work hard to provide a product and a service to its policyholders. Despite its size, the company still relies on good common sense and basic business principles and budgets to make things work. Today, he is a service manager, a job that requires creativity, yet like everywhere else, he has constraints as well as limited budgets, staffing, and tools. Budgets are important tools to help set priorities and control costs. As your next State Representative, Tom will take this same conservative business approach to Springfield.

Tom Bennett is pro-small business, pro-gun, pro-life, pro-family, pro-agriculture, and pro-education. House District 106 also has two prisons, Caterpillar, and other important businesses that we need to consider as we look to improve our local economy. Tom is running to be your next State Representative because he feels he can make a difference for our communities. Tom has had the opportunity to visit with many citizens over the last several months at chicken dinners, fish fries, and pancake breakfasts across the district. In conversations, he has found that people are concerned about the state’s debt crisis, retirement, their jobs, and condition of our future. Tom Bennett is running to help make a better district, a better Illinois, and a better Republican party. To do that, he believes we need to:

  • Provide a foundation and infrastructure to support job creation and business expansion.
  • Look to reduce regulations and taxes.
  • Promote entrepreneurship for small business.
  • Support and promote Illinois agriculture.
  • Reduce the size of government and its impact on our lives.
  • Balance the budget.
  • Create an environment that will allow our schools to truly challenge students to grow, to think independently, to reason, and to become good citizens.
  • Be accountable with taxpayer dollars.
  • Strengthen families
  • Reduce crime and drug use

With his background in agriculture, education, and business, Tom Bennett is ready and able to serve the people of House District 106. Tom has demonstrated proven leadership, fiscal responsibility and quality results. Tom “sees the need for common sense solutions to problems in Springfield.” Tom goes on to say, “we need to support small business, restore the Illinois economy, enhance education, and promote Illinois agriculture. These issues are key to our future success as a district, a state, and as a country.”

Please support Tom Bennett. He looks forward to hearing your ideas, concerns, and solutions to making a better tomorrow.

My Platform

To view Thomas M. Bennett's platform, please follow the links below.

Photos
News Room

To view Thomas M. Bennett's letters to the editor dealing with Parkland College issues, please follow the links below.

ACCT Immediate Past Board Chair

Tom was elected for a three year term to the ACCT Board in Seattle, Washington, 2005 and a second three year term in New York City, New York 2008. During the 2009 ACCT Congress in San Francisco, Tom became Chair of the ACCT Board. During the 2010 ACCT Congress, Tom became Immediate Past Chair.

Tom takes this responsibility seriously as he works with other Board members to address ACCT issues. Tom looks forward to working with other board members to:

  • Tell our communities, our business leaders, and our government officials about how community colleges are making a difference to millions of people across the country.
  • Strengthen access and affordability for all that want to attend a community college.
  • Improve the ease and level of communication within our ACCT membership.
  • Support and enhance the ability of students to transfer to four year institutions.
  • Promote diversity within our membership and community college systems. Diversity makes us a stronger organization and better prepared for change.
  • Show how we add value and are accountable with taxpayer dollars. We can not afford to have an "entitlement mentality."
  • Support international education within the community college movement.
  • Look for new ways to focus on ethics and core values for our students.
  • Encourage the review of emergency procedures of our schools to make sure they are current and effective. These procedures also need to include ideas on how we can help our sister schools quickly if they have a major crisis.

For more information, please view the links "About" and "Vision".

Parkland College District Map

Map of Parkland College District 505

Parkland College, located in East central Illinois, is a comprehensive two-year public institution of higher learning that offers associate degrees, certificates, continuing education opportunities, and specialized training to the residents of Illinois Community College District 505. The Parkland College District encompasses more than 2,900 square miles, over 50 communities, more than 250,000 inhabitants, and over 20 public and private high schools in 12 counties: Champaign, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Iroquois, Livingston, McLean, Moultrie, Piatt, and Vermilion.

East central Illinois is one of the most productive corn and soybean agricultural areas in the nation, and rural sparsely populated farming communities comprise much of District 505. Champaign-Urbana, in Champaign County, is one of the largest urban areas in downstate Illinois, with a sound economic base that includes retailing, light manufacturing, high-technology research and development, health care, agriculture, and the University of Illinois.

In 1966, the first Parkland College Board of Trustees was elected: William W. Froom (chairman), D. Wayne Niewold, Charles M. Zipprodt, Douglas E. Hager, C.W. Barnes, Norma R. Weller, and John H. Mathews.

The college opened in September of 1967 in temporary facilities in downtown Champaign. A new permanent campus was opened in 1973 on a 233-acre tract northwest of Champaign, located near I-57, I-72, and I-74.

Message From ICCTA Past President

Tom is a Past President of the Illinois Community College Trustee Association (ICCTA). Over the years, ICCTA has helped to make Illinois one of the strongest community college systems in the nation. Illinois is made up of 39 community college districts and each district is governed by a seven person board of trustees. With the exception of trustees in Chicago, Illinois trustees are elected to six year terms, they are not appointed. However, within the city of Chicago, trustees are appointed by the mayor. Of the 11 million people that live in Illinois today, over 1 million have attended a community college.

How does the Illinois economy benefit from the presence of the 39 community college districts in the state? To answer that question, the Illinois Community College Trustee Association(ICCTA) contracted with CCbenefits, Inc. to apply a comprehensive economic model they have developed to capture and quantify the economic and social benefits of community colleges (CCs). Highlights from this 2002 study included:

  • The 39 community college districts in Illinois pay $1,008.1 million in direct faculty and staff wages and salaries, and explain an additional $8,916 million in wages and salaries off campus.
  • Taxpayers see a real money "book" return of 13.8% on their annual investments in the community colleges and recover all investments in 9.1 years.
  • Students enjoy an attractive 26.1% annual return on their investment of time and money—for every $1 the student invests in a college education, he or she will receive a cumulative $7.30 in higher future earnings over the next 30 years.
  • The State of Illinois benefits from improved health and reduced welfare, unemployment, and crime, saving the public some $175.7 million per year.
For a copy of the Executive Summary of the Report, click here.
For a copy of the Fact Sheet for the Report, click here.
For a copy of the chart comparing Illinois community colleges' ROI vs. other types of investment, click here.

Sincerely,

Thomas M. Bennett
Past President ICCTA
Trustee, Parkland College
Volunteer for Thomas M. Bennett

If you would like to volunteer to write letters, pass out brochures, host a coffee, find locations for yard signs, or get involved in other ways, please fill out the following information and click Submit. I look forward to hearing from you.

Tom Bennett
Parkland College Board of Trustees, Vice-Chair
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