Willie Cochran's campaign slogan is "getting things done." He stood by the adage when he made national headlines running against Che "Rhymefest" Smith in the 2011 election.
Background: Willie Cochran is a long-time Chicago resident and the youngest of 10 children. His father was a Chicago stockyard worker and his mother a homemaker. He received a sociology degree from Eastern Illinois and a master's in public administration from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Cochran served as a police officer for 26 years. He later worked as a community organizer in Woodlawn and also managed a family owned business for more than 14 years.
The Ward: The 20th ward incorporates parts of Englewood, Woodlawn, Washington Park and Back of the Yards. The area is largely African American. The famous DuSable Museum of African American history is located in the ward, which has had some issues with crime and foreclosures.
The Office: Ald. Cochran has been in office since 2007. He maintains that he believes in action and not talk. Cochran's platform includes community benefits, education, safety, youth activities, employment, housing and support for mental health. As alderman he opened new youth centers, increased the number of cameras on streets, allocated TIF funds for schools and helped 30 ex-criminal offenders find work. Cochran made national headlines in 2011 with his challenger Che "Rhymefest" Smith.
Committees:
Aviation
Budget and Government Operations
Committees, Rules and Ethics
Economic, Capital and Technology Department
Finance
Health and Environmental Protection
License and Consumer Protection
Public Safety (Vice-Chair)
Joint Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development and Health and Environmental Protection
