Tom Kotarac

Tom Kotarac is the Senior Vice President of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago and leads the Civic Committee’s transportation and infrastructure work.

The Civic Committee created a task force to strengthen its commitment to implementing transportation policy and project priorities.  The group of nearly 20 executives, civic, and academic leaders is committed to ensuring Chicago retains its position as a world transportation leader.  Their work has been instrumental in expanding O’Hare airport, accelerating the CREATE rail program, modernizing mass transit, and improving the way transportation projects are prioritized, funded, and delivered in Illinois.

Before joining the Civic Committee, Tom was Deputy Executive Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), the comprehensive planning agency for Northeastern Illinois.  At CMAP, Tom directed overall agency strategy and set the research agendas for CMAP’s policy focus areas, including transportation, land use, economic development, housing, tax policy, and governance. 

Earlier, Tom spent more than 12 years working on Capitol Hill in the Illinois congressional delegation.  He served as senior policy advisor and projects director for U.S. Senator Richard Durbin and as senior legislative assistant to U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez.  Tom grew up in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, graduated from the University of Illinois, and has a wonderful family.

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