Chicago 44th Ward Aldermanic Choice is Clear Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas, owner of The Alley Stores in Lakeview, has reinstated his campaign for alderman of the 44th Ward.
The campaign was temporarily suspended earlier this year while Thomas recovered from a corrective surgical procedure. The campaign officially restarted on September 27th, and in that short time period has gathered more than the minimum number of signatures to qualify for the ballot in the February municipal election. Thomas has also raised several thousand dollars from members of the community and loaned the campaign $25,000 to get started.
Mark Thomas has been an entrepreneur and community leader in the Lakeview neighborhood for over 40 years. He is the owner of several area businesses, including The Alley Stores, a jewelry manufacturing facility and a screen printing business. He was a founding member of the Central Lakeview Merchants Association, served as the Executive Director of K.E.B.I.C., a city-funded chamber of commerce, and is a member of the East Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, North Halsted Business Alliance and the GLBT Chamber of Commerce. He also volunteers as a member of the Quarterly Industry Leaders Reporting Board of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank and on the board of Local First Chicago.
Thomas is challenging incumbent Ald. Tom Tunney to represent the 44th Ward. Tunney is a local entrepreneur and owner of Ann Sather restaurant, and was appointed to the city council by then-mayor Richard M. Daley in 2003. Thomas proposes an alternative vision for representing the ward that focuses on civic engagement and a more hands-on leadership style that includes working with local police to clean up crime in the community.