Thomas P. Fitzgerald

The Civic Committee of The Commercial Club of Chicago is a private, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to stimulate and encourage the growth of the area's economy and its ability to provide for its people. The Civic Committee pursues economic development in its broadest sense by supporting efforts to improve the general business environment - the structure and processes of the local economy - so that businesses can prosper and generate jobs. The Civic Committee also works to protect and improve those parts of the local environment on which employers depend: sound and effective local government services, superior transportation and communication networks, strong education and training systems, excellent health care delivery and reasonable local tax and regulatory structures. The Civic Committee gives special attention to efforts and plans that relate to the entire Chicago metropolitan area in the belief that the City of Chicago and its surrounding territory constitute a single and interdependent economic region. In pursuing these goals, the Civic Committee seeks out partnerships with other public and private sector organizations so as to minimize duplication of efforts and to utilize the strength of coalitions representing different constituencies.