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Former Ottawa Mayor Robert Eschbach receives 2024 Simon-Edgar Award

Former Ottawa Mayor Robert Eschbach was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award for his more than two decades of visionary, practical and effective leadership as mayor and his continuing work to make his community strong, vibrant and optimistic.

Eschbach served as mayor of Ottawa, Illinois, from 1999 to 2019.

Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar and John Shaw, the director of Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, announced Eschbach’s selection today, Aug. 6, at the annual dinner of the Edgar Fellows program in Champaign.

“At a time in which there is great frustration about politics at the national level and considerable fear about politics in the international arena, it’s important to recognize that energetic and positive leadership is happening in towns and cities across Illinois,” Edgar said. “Mayor Eschbach has been a consequential leader in his community, combining a long-term vision with the practical skills needed to bring people together and get results. The mayor united his community, and together they have revived and rebuilt Ottawa.”

“Mayor Eschbach’s leadership has been important and inspiring. He helped transform his city,” Shaw said. “Those who have worked closely with him marvel at his kindness, humor, optimism and drive — and his ability to close deals. Even after retiring as mayor, he has displayed remarkable leadership and civic commitment as a private citizen.”

Eschbach is a native of Ottawa. He attended Illinois Valley College and graduated from Illinois State University. He earned a law degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

He returned to Ottawa after law school, volunteering on projects related to environmental protection, historic preservation, and downtown and neighborhood revitalization.

He served on the city’s plan commission, zoning board and historic preservation commission before he was elected mayor in 1999.

When he became mayor, Ottawa was struggling with job loss and a badly deteriorating downtown. Eschbach helped draft a comprehensive plan in 1999, the first in Ottawa’s history, and later submitted a revised plan that won the 2016 American Planning Association’s Daniel Burnham Award for Outstanding Comprehensive Plan. He also worked with colleagues on a floodplain plan that earned national awards.

He led a successful citywide effort to attract jobs, revitalize downtown, develop the riverfront, beautify the city and sponsor a wide array of festivals and cultural events.

The America in Bloom organization recognized Ottawa in 2013 with a special award for the “most dramatic transformation of a downtown streetscape.”

Eschbach’s contribution to Ottawa was described clearly by the city’s former chief engineer Dave Noble: “The mayor had a vision of what he wanted the city to become, and he clearly articulated that vision and encouraged people to adopt to that. And that vision is contagious and excited people and makes them want to be here.”

In his final State of the City address, Eschbach thanked the hundreds of volunteers who worked with him to revive and renew Ottawa. “We are all ordinary people working together to accomplish extraordinary things. And we may have different titles and stations in life, we all share in a common heritage of self-government, and we all share in probably the most precious of titles — that of citizen,” he said.

He was a founding member of the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation and serves on a number of boards including Landmarks Illinois, the Ottawa Reddick Mansion Association, The Canal Connector organization, Valley Immigrant Advocates, Ottawa Historical and Scouting Heritage Museum, and Ottawa Center for the Arts.

The annual Simon-Edgar Statesmanship Award is presented to an elected state or local government official in Illinois who has demonstrated a pattern of public service characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, civility and bipartisanship. The Simon-Edgar Award shines a spotlight on remarkable leadership that is taking place in our state and our communities, inspiring current and future public servants to act in the best traditions of Illinois.

Edgar, the 38th governor of Illinois, founded the Edgar Fellows Program at the University of Illinois’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs. Shaw is the director of SIU Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White Selected As Recipent of 2023 Simon-Edgar Award

Former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award. Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar and John Shaw, director of Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, announced White’s selection on August 8, 2023.

Edgar and Shaw applauded White’s half-century of constructive, practical and principled leadership in Illinois.

White, a native of Alton, Illinois, served in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division, played baseball in the Chicago Cubs farm system and created the nationally famous Jesse White Tumbling Team for underprivileged young people.

He served in the Illinois House of Representatives, as the Cook County Recorder of Deeds and as the 37th Illinois Secretary of State. As secretary of state from 1999 to 2023, White worked for traffic safety, teen driver safety, strong DUI laws, truck safety, and enhanced organ and tissue donations.

“I first met Secretary White in the 1970s when we were both junior members of the Illinois General Assembly,” Edgar said. “Jesse has always been modest, gracious and committed to working with members of both parties to solve problems.”

“Jesse respected the people of Illinois, and they liked and respected him – and -voted for him in record numbers.”

Shaw said White’s career illustrates the value of searching for common ground and viewing everyone as potential allies and partners.

“Secretary White has been a model public servant,” Shaw said. “He has demonstrated the ability to set partisanship aside to advance the public interest.”

The annual Simon-Edgar Statesmanship Award is presented to an elected state or local government official in Illinois who has demonstrated a pattern of public service characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, civility and bipartisanship.

The Simon-Edgar Award shines a spotlight on remarkable leadership that is taking place in our state and our communities, inspiring current and future public servants to act in the best traditions of Illinois.

Edgar, the 38th governor of Illinois, founded the Edgar Fellows Program at the University of Illinois’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs. Shaw is the director of SIU Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

Former House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie Selected As Recipient of 2022 Simon-Edgar Award

Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, announced Tuesday, August 9, 2022, that former House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie is the 2022 recipient of the Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award.

Pictured from left to right are Governor Edgar, award recipient Barbara Flynn Currie, and John Shaw. Edgar and Shaw applauded Representative Currie’s four decades of forceful, creative, consequential, and civil leadership in the Illinois General Assembly.

Representative Currie served in the General Assembly from 1979 to 2019 and was the House Majority Leader from 1997 to 2019. She helped create Illinois’ Earned Income Tax Credit, championed clean air and water legislation, pushed for the first Freedom of Information Act, advocated for same sex marriage legislation, crafted critical school funding and juvenile justice reforms, and fought to end the death penalty in Illinois.

“As one of the six governors who worked with Representative Currie, I have always been impressed with her passion, decency, and toughness,” Edgar said. “Barbara and I did not always agree on policy issues, but I’ve always respected her dedication to public service and her idealism.”

Shaw said that Representative Currie’s career illustrates that leaders with strong partisan perspectives can best serve the public when they seek common ground and work with leaders from the other party and with independents.

“Some of the most successful and celebrated statesmen and stateswomen in American and Illinois history have been strong partisans who have had the ability to set partisanship aside and advance the public interest,” Shaw said. “This is a defining feature of statesmanship and a hallmark of Representative Currie’s career.”

Edgar and Shaw said Representative Currie was respected on both sides of the aisle for her vision, compassion, effectiveness, bipartisanship, civility, and tenacity.  

A pioneer for women legislators, when Representative Currie entered the General Assembly in 1979 only slightly more than 10% of the members were women and no women held senior leadership posts. Her 40-year career in the General Assembly remains the longest of any woman in the history of Illinois.

“Representative Currie was easily one of the most approachable and well-informed policymakers on either side of the aisle who, despite the often bare-knuckles style of Illinois politics, never lost her ability to reach across the aisle to win consensus on the important issues of the day,” said a former journalist who was among those who put forth her nomination.

One of her former colleagues praised her civility and effectiveness. “Even in the most difficult floor debate, while someone is hurling invective at her, she’d smile and disarm the person with her amazing wit.”

The annual Simon-Edgar Statesmanship Award is presented to an elected state or local government official in Illinois who has demonstrated a pattern of public service characterized by vision, courage, compassion, effectiveness, civility, and bipartisanship.

The Simon-Edgar Award shines a spotlight on remarkable leadership that is taking place in our state and our communities, inspiring current and future public servants to act in the best traditions of Illinois.

Jim Edgar was the 38^th governor of Illinois. He founded the Edgar Fellows Program at the University of Illinois’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs. John Shaw is the director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and is the author of five books on history and politics.

Inaugural Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award recognizes 11 Republicans who broke budget stalemate

Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar and John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, announced Tuesday that the inaugural recipients of the Paul Simon-Jim Edgar Statesmanship Award are the 11 Republican members of the Illinois General Assembly who supported a critical budget package in July 2017 in the interest of fiscal solvency for Illinois.

The Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats to override then-Governor Bruce Rauner's veto of a budget compromise. This vote ended a two-year fiscal stalemate that tarnished Illinois' reputation, damaged schools, battered the state's credit rating, and led to about $15 billion in unpaid bills.

The budget that emerged allowed Illinois to avoid further downgrading of its debt. It also ensured that Illinois state government would resume regular operations.

The 2017 budget paved the way for subsequent fiscal progress in the state as reflected in recent upgrades to Illinois' credit rating by Moody's Investor Service and S&P Global Ratings.

The decision to support this agreement was courageous, consequential, and effective. While several of the Republican lawmakers received accolades from their constituents in response to their votes, many were sharply criticized and later faced primary opposition. Several opted to retire after casting the critical budget vote in 2017.

"I have been observing Illinois state government for 50 years and this vote was one of the most consequential and courageous votes that I have ever seen," said Edgar, who served in the Illinois House and as Illinois secretary of state and governor.

"It pulled Illinois back from the brink and helped put us on a much better path. This was not an easy vote and we are very fortunate there were people in the General Assembly who were willing to risk their political careers to do the right thing. This was a very important moment in Illinois history, and we should acknowledge the courage of those who were willing to cast very difficult votes," Edgar said.

"The 2017 budget vote required vision and courage and it was effective," Shaw said. "It was important for Illinois and deserves special recognition as we launch this statesmanship award. We will need more leaders to cast courageous and consequential votes in the future if Illinois is to confront the structural imbalances in our budget. However, this vote shows us the way to a better future. Governor Edgar and I also hope it encourages the citizens of Illinois take notice of – and reward – public officials who take difficult actions in the best long-term interests of our state. We believe the 2017 budget vote represents both individual bravery and collective statesmanship."

Edgar and Shaw said they expect future Simon-Edgar Awards to go to a single person, but the 2017 budget vote was so consequential that they decided on a collective award this year.

The 11 Republican lawmakers who cast the decisive votes in 2017 were:

• Representative Steve Andersson of Geneva
• Representative Terri Bryant of Murphysboro
• Representative Mike Fortner of West Chicago
• Representative Norine Hammond of Macomb
• Representative David Harris of Arlington Heights
• Representative Chad Hays of Catlin
• Representative Sara Wojcicki Jimenez of Springfield
• Representative Bill Mitchell of Decatur
• Representative Reggie Phillips of Charleston
• Representative Mike Unes of Pekin
• Senator Dale Righter of Mattoon

Political, academic, and business leaders, along with interested Illinois citizens, submitted dozens of nominations of city and county officials and state legislators for the inaugural Simon-Edgar Award. These nominations confirm that statesmanship is alive and well in the Prairie State.

Institute Director John Shaw attended the August 2021 meeting of the Edgar Fellows Program to join former Governor Jim Edgar to announce the recipients of the inaugural Simon-Edgar Award. Pictured from left to right are Shaw, award recipients Sara Wojcicki Jimenez and Chad Hays, and Governor Edgar.