IL HR1368

Born December 9, 1948 in Oak Park; earned bachelor's degree from University of Illinois (1971) and master's degree from Northern Illinois University (1986).

Taught history and government at Hadley Junior High School until 1988 and served on boards for Glen Ellyn Family Services and Milton Township Committee on Youth before becoming Milton Township trustee.

Elected to Illinois House of Representatives in November 1990 and served 11 years until January 2002, serving on House Committees on Aging, Environment and Energy, Financial Institutions, and Labor.

Co-chaired House Telecommunications Rewrite Committee and Electric Utility Deregulation Committee, playing major roles in opening Illinois telecommunications services to competition and in the Illinois Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997.

Passed away on July 21, 2016 after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in late 2015; survived by wife Donna and son Derek Persico.