Mayor Picks Assistant State’s Attorney for New Trustee

Orland Park could be getting some young blood on the village board.

Mayor Dan McLaughlin has recommended 28-year-old Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Dan Calandriello for the open village trustee seat. The board will vote on the recommendation of Calandriello at Monday’s meeting, and with approval Calandriello will then officially assume the seat.

Calandriello has worked as an assistant state’s attorney for about two years, after spending the preceding two years clerking for the Cook County office. During that time he worked within traffic division, felony trial and special prosecutions.

Before attending John Marshall Law School from 2009 until 2011, Calandriello worked as a staff assistant in the U.S. House of Representatives, facilitating “day to day operation for entire office, which included meeting preparations, issue research, and execution floor operations,” according to his LinkedIn account.

The Marquette University graduate was the student government president during his time at the school. He was born and raised in Orland Park and worked at Crystal Tree Golf and Country Club.

Calandriello was not immediately available for comment Wednesday night. He has not served on any village advisory boards, according to Orland Park Public Information Officer Joe LaMargo.

McLaughlin wrote in a letter sent to the village board on Sept. 6 that he has been “talking for some time about finding good, qualified young people to start getting on the village board and in other leadership positions.”

McLaughlin praised Calandriello’s work experience in Washington D.C. and Cook County in the letter, and noted that he held volunteer positions in college.

“I knew Dan when he was in grade school with one of my sons and remember his extremely upbeat positive attitude,” McLaughlin wrote. “After not seeing or talking with him for years I find he has not lost that positive attitude, which in itself is noteworthy. After talking with him I find his enthusiasm and interest in serving Orland Park commendable and one of the many reasons I kept coming back to him. If we are to continue trying to make Orland Park the type of community that attracts and retains citizens of all ages, we need younger voices with new and different ideas on the board.”

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