Cook GOP Chairman Del Mar Announces First Members of Leadership Team

Last night at the first Cook County Republican meeting under new Chairman Aaron Del Mar, Del Mar announced the first four members of his leadership team. Pat Rea, Bremen Township Republican Committeeman, will serve as Deputy Committeeman. Blair Garber, Evanston Township Republican Chairman, will serve as one of the Vice Chairmen. Judy Diekelman, Thornton Township Republican Chairman, will serve as Secretary. Christine Svenson, attorney and former President of the 42nd Ward Republican Organization, will serve as Parliamentarian and General Counsel.

“The Cook County Republican Party just became immensely stronger thanks to the willing and passionate service of these respected, talented individuals,” said Chairman Del Mar. “Deputy Committeeman Rea is looked up to by all of us in the County, and his steady leadership will ensure we continue moving the Republican Party in Cook County forward. Vice Chairman Garber has proven to be an effective and hard-working Chairman in the North Shore, a vital battleground area in Cook County. I’m honored that Secretary Diekelman was willing to continue serving the Cook County Republican Party as she’s an invaluable asset. And I’m excited to welcome Parliamentarian Svenson to the team as she lends her experience and knowledge to our meetings and official Party actions.”

Pat Rea is a retired Brigadier General in the U.S. Army Reserve and has a long and distinguished career of professional achievements and dedicated public service. This includes having been appointed Regional Administrator for SBA's Midwest Region by President George W. Bush, serving as Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Banking, and serving as a Member of the Governor’s Cabinet as Executive Director for the Illinois Development Finance Authority. He has faithfully served the residents of Tinley Park, for 37 years as Trustee and currently as Clerk in his 40th year of service to the Village. He is the Republican Committeeman of Bremen Township, and has been an elected delegate or elected alternate to five National Republican Conventions since President Gerald Ford and is a delegate for Gov. Mitt Romney in Tampa. Rea holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Business and a Master of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana.

Blair Garber retired from his family's jewelry business, Sidney Gerber Jewelers, and from his position as High Tech Marketing Product Manager at Activision in order to focus on politics. He is the Evanston Township Republican Committeeman and is deeply committed to grassroots activism. He is an active member of The Republican Club of Evanston, Republican Jewish Coalition, Christians United for Israel, and the National Rifle Association. He has assisted a number of campaigns, including the recent campaigns of John McCain for President, Joel Pollack for Congress, Arie Friedman for Illinois Senate, and the Illinois State Representative races of Jonathan Greenberg, Danielle Rowe, and Susan Sweeney. He is a graduate of Lake Forest College.

Judy Diekelman works for the Illinois House of Representatives as Minority Leader Tom Cross’ office manager at the James R Thompson Center in Chicago. She is the Republican Committeeman of Thornton Township. She has served as the 2nd District State Central Committeeman for the Illinois Republican Party since 2000, and is a member of the Executive Board. She has previously served as Secretary for the Cook County Republican Party and a Member of the Executive Board. She is a Trustee in the Village of Thornton, having first been elected in 1971.

Christine Svenson is a highly experienced civil litigator. She is the Illinois Chapter Leader, Vice President of Membership, and Board Member for the Republican National Lawyer’s Association. She is also on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Lawyers’ Chapter of the Federalist Society and is the former President of the 42nd Ward Republican Organization. She is a graduate of Northwestern University with a J.D. from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Announcements of additional leadership appointments will be made in the near future.