There is an old saying in Governmental Affairs that says “If you don’t have a seat at the table. You might end up on the menu”.
My name is Neil Malone, and as the new NACC Government Affairs Manager, I am excited to be working with all of you to ensure that Naperville’s business community will always have that seat at the table when decisions are being made at the local, state, and federal level that can impact your business or community.
In a time where it may seem that the goal in DC, or Springfield is to be the loudest voice, it is my hope that our voice will always be well-reasoned, well-communicated, and well-respected. I believe that the business community is the economic engine of our community and look forward to drawing from the collective experience of those who make it run to make a positive impact on public policy.
I also hope to continue NACC’s function as a trusted source of information to and from our elected officials. With all due respect, most elected officials are generalists. They know a little about a lot of topics. It would be unfair to expect them to know every detail on every subject that comes before them. They need subject matter experts like the Chamber to give them details and context, and to sometimes warn them of unintended consequences of proposed legislation. Similarly, the media is also spread too thin to provide detailed explanations of the impact of every vote in every elected body. Business leaders need more than soundbites to make sound decisions.
I have spent the bulk of my professional career doing exactly that.
I began my career in government affairs more that 25 years ago working for the Lieutenant Governor while still an undergrad. I then served a Graduate Fellowship with the Governor’s office while pursuing my master’s degree in public administration. After graduation, I worked for the Illinois House of Representatives and later did legislative work for a state agency. I also spent 20 years as a registered lobbyist in Springfield, working on local, state, and federal issues mostly in the construction and real estate sectors. I also served as CEO of a real estate trade organization here in the suburbs. For the last two years I have used my diverse experiences to provide strategic consulting services for businesses, political campaigns, and trade associations.
On a personal note, politics isn’t the only sport I love. I am an avid Notre Dame football fan and a long-suffering, occasionally elated, Cubs fan. I can think of very few places that I would rather spend a fall Saturday than South Bend, or a summer afternoon than Wrigley Field. I also love to travel and have the goal of visiting all 50 states (44 so far) and all 7 continents (4 so far). In addition, I am a certified scuba diver, an enthusiastic, albeit not particularly talented golfer, and an occasional amateur musician. I also love learning, cooking, entertaining, and the view of a two-lane highway from the seat of my old Harley Davidson.
Years ago, I read a survey that said the top reason people give for why they do no get involved, is that they were not asked. Please view this as your formal invitation to get involved! In this role, I will be staffing our Business Works (Government Affairs) Committee and our Commercial Real Estate Professionals Committee. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have interest in those topics, have questions or issues, or just want to make contact. I would also love to know if you serve in an elected or appointed capacity or have a close personal relationship with anyone who does.
I can be reached at: nmalone@naperville.net or my direct line is (630) 352-0461.