Gainer cleans out desk at Aon; is mayoral run next? Pssst!
Ready! Set! Go?
Sneed has learned Cook County Board Commissioner Bridget Gainer just cleaned out her desk at Aon Corp., where she has worked in a variety of roles, including global public affairs, for years.
Gainer’s departure from the insurance giant marks a major move by a woman who is expected to toss her hat in the mayoral ring in an effort to unseat Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
It follows a foxy move that could be construed as a way to throw Gainer off her political game. One of her top fundraisers, Katelynd Duncan, recently was hired by Progress Chicago, an advocacy group backed by Emanuel’s righthand man Michael Sacks — a development tipped by Crain’s Chicago Business columnist Greg Hinz. Though Progress Chicago says on its website it “will not participate in any political activity on behalf of or against any candidate for office,” its mission is to “spotlight and champion the policies and people that have brought about progress,” including reported Chicago Public Schools advances that have happened in Emanuel’s administration.
Word is Gainer, who has managed to raise about $400,000 for a mayoral run, is expected to announce her candidacy soon. She would be the third woman to enter the growing race to unseat Emanuel, joining attorney Lori Lightfoot, who once headed Emanuel’s police board, and Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown.
A major advocate of neighborhood development, Gainer is a former city planner and Chicago Park District director of lakefront services under former Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Gainer, a Democrat, has stated her proudest accomplishment on the County Board is the creation of the Cook County Land Bank, which acquires vacant properties in inner-city neighborhoods for resale to predominantly black and Hispanic developers who rehabilitate those properties and create affordable housing.
Stay tuned.
Oh, honey!
What’s missing?
A group of former Chicago Honey Bears, the bevy of beauties who bounced on the field for Bears’ wins, will hit Ditka’s downtown eatery from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday to introduce a book about the history of the bodacious cheerleaders.
Its title: “Missing From the Sidelines.”
Juicy?
Hmmm.
The Quinn bin . . .
They are at it again! Watch for former Gov. Pat Quinn and conservative radio show host William J. Kelly, two brothers from another mother, to once again join forces to unseat Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
To wit: Both are co-hosting a “Two Term Limit Rahm” referendum petition signing event July 20 at the Curragh Chicago Irish Pub.
Their goal? To gather 100,000 signatures by August 6.
“If the ‘Take Charge Chicago’ petition makes the November 2018 ballot and wins a simple 51 percent vote, Mayor Emanuel can kiss his third term goodbye,” said Kelly.
Sneedlings . . .
Congrats to all eight of Chicago’s legendary Durkin brothers — which include Federal Judge Tom, Illinois House minority leader Jim, and attorneys Terry, Kevin and Mike, as well as Pat, Bob and Bill on the renaming of the Westchester suburban street they grew up on in memory of their late parents, Colette and Tom. ...Ispy:WGN Radio’s Roe Conn and award winning musician Richard Marx spotted dining at Stefani Prime Monday . . . . Saturday’s birthdays: Conor McGregor, 30; Peta Murgatroyd, 32; and Darrelle Revis, 33.