Gerald Bennett

While serving as Mayor of the City of Palos Hills since 1981, Gerald Bennett has been an outspoken advocate for uniting cities and villages. He founded and continues to serve as the President of the Southwest Conference of Mayors. He was a co-founder and serves as Chairman of the Board of the Southwest Central Dispatch (an intergovernmental police and fire 911 service). Bennett has served as past Chair of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and is currently a member of the Mayors Caucus Executive Committee. He is also the President of the Illinois Municipal League and was named co-chair of the Mayors Caucus 2016 Olympic Regional Coordinating Committee. As the representative from Southwest Cook County, Bennett holds the position of Chair of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and its Executive Committee.

A businessman for more than 40 years, Bennett is President of Bennett Dental Labs, Inc., in Palos Hills.

Bennett attended Lewis University and the University of Illinois at Chicago.