Ben Grum for Lake County Board

 

Photo with the candidate

One of the rewards of teaching is the memorable and impressive students I have had the pleasure knowing in the one or two classes they take with me.  One of the memorable graduate students is Ben Grum.  He was a student in my SBNM 5411 Quantitative Decision Making course.  He took the class July and August of 2020 which was during the worst of the COVID pandemic.  So, we never met face-to-face.  We did, however, interact quite a bit online and have a few phone conversations.  Ben was among the best students I have had in that class.  He was hardworking, curious, smart, and his papers and Excel work were very well done. 

I have the students, especially in online classes, introduce themselves in discussion posts.  Ben noted that he was a detective in the Lake Forest Police Department where I live.  This was very cool for two reasons.  I never had a police officer in a class and I live in Lake Forest.  I felt a bit safer knowing we had someone on our police force with Ben’s fine qualities. 

We get a free newsletter in the mail of local news and events.  It is the Lake Forests/Lake Bluff edition of the Lake County Gazette.  In early February there was article, Lake Forest police commander Ben Grum takes on Lake County Board race.  I was delighted, and not really surprised, to see that Ben was running for political office and had risen to the rank of commander in the Police Department. 

Shortly thereafter, I got an email announcement that Ben was having an event, I assume to kick-off his campaign.  I bought a two tickets and we attended the “Grum for Lake County Country Music Event at The Farm” in Lake Bluff.  Remember that we met in an online class in the depths of the pandemic and had never met in person.  It was wonderful to finally meet Ben as well as his lovely wife and mother.  What a great gathering.  Good thing we went early, as later it was almost impossible to find a parking spot at The Farm.  The Cowboy Co. Band rocked the joint and it was a good time.  People, the friends and supporter of Ben, were all happy to be there.

Ben is running his campaign on a four-plank platform all of which appeal to me as a fiscal conservative and a social moderate.

Public Safety:
In a time when people question their safety and security, and the State of Illinois is passing legislation that is consistently inhibiting law enforcement Ben. will be dedicated to doing what is possible on a County level to ensure the safety and security of all Lake County residents and visitors.

 

Taxes:
Taxes in Lake County are out of control and are negatively impacting our lowest-income homeowners disproportionally. Ben vows to not vote for a property tax increase and to repeal the gas tax. Instead, Ben will adamantly push for third-party audits countywide much like we see in private business to ensure the county operates efficiently. 

 

Local Control:
Ben Grum recognizes that decisions made closest to the community are often the most informed and accountable. As a county board member, he champions leaving local matters to local governments and, when feasible, to the voters themselves. Ben opposes personal biases influencing decisions, exemplified in recent instances like the attempted Lake Bluff Golf Course closure, advocating for transparent, community-driven governance.

Economic Development:
To foster a vibrant and thriving Lake County, collaboration with business leaders and entrepreneurs is paramount. Ben Grum's approach involves job creation and revenue generation through sales tax, avoiding burdensome income or property taxes. Addressing the migration of businesses to Wisconsin, Ben aims to eradicate anti-business policies that hinder growth within our county.

Ben is a double degree holder from North Park University and specifically the School of Business and Nonprofit Management in which I am a faculty member.  He got a BA in Business in 2011 and his MBA with an HR Certificate in 2022.  As stated on our website:

The mission of North Park University, as the University of the Evangelical Covenant Church, is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Ben is certainly has embraced this mission and is living a life of significance and service.  I am proud of and happy for Ben.  He most certainly has my endorsement and vote.