These are the candidates for the 2024-25 Caucus Committee from Ward 4.
Gene Cartwright
Gene Cartwright earned a BA from Dartmouth, a Ph.D. from Stanford and a Masters of Management from Northwestern. He worked at Abbott Labs for 24 years, at GE for 8 years, and as CEO of Guided Therapeutics for 9 years. He has resided in Lake Forest since 1992 with his wife Marion. They have three sons.
Now retired, Gene says that he has the time and energy to give back to the Lake Forest community that he and his family have enjoyed for over 30 years and that he respects the Caucus Committee members who have given their time. He hopes to have the chance to do his part.
Jennifer Lawson
Jennifer Lawson and her husband, Matthew, moved to Lake Forest with their two young children in 2022.
Originally from a small Michigan town, Jennifer's interest in federal Indian law took her to Washington, D.C. where she drafted regulations, litigated administrative appeals, and negotiated settlement agreements for leadership appointed by four different Presidents. When the opportunity arose to continue her career remotely, the family returned to her husband's hometown, excited to grow their own children's roots in this fairytale city.
She enjoys hearing different perspectives on issues and looks forward to getting involved as a Caucus Committee member.
Matthew Liddy
Matthew P. Liddy grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and has been calling Illinois home for 20 years. As a graduate of Indiana University, he spent his early years in Chicago as a securities trader where he developed a deep understanding of global financial markets and international business.
This passion for international business led him to the next chapter of his career where for more than a decade he has been managing global wine & spirits brands as they navigate the intense US markets. Matt is currently running all US sales and marketing for a nearly 100-year old family-owned Italian winery.
One fateful family drive and lunch in Lake Forest in 2019 was enough for Matt to relocate his family here, where they plan to be lifelong residents. As a more recent Lake Forest resident, Matt would love to be of service to help preserve "the magic" of Lake Forest and what captured the heart of Matt, his wife Nikki, and daughter.
Matt would like to provide the viewpoints of newer residents while maintaining a laser focus on what has made and kept Lake Forest desirable for decades. His close work with many restaurant groups and small businesses in Chicago, Lake County, and all of Illinois will be an asset in helping to curate what it is that makes Lake Forest special for generations to come.
Greg Pike
Greg Pike moved to Lake Forest in 2023 with his wife Elysa and three sons, Bradley, Ryan and Danny. He graduated from Miami University (BS in Finance), DePaul University (MBA) and ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at the University of Pennsylvania. Greg has been in banking for over 25 years and currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer of Old Second National Bank.
Additionally, he served as a Village of Buffalo Grove Trustee, held various leadership positions on several community boards and went to Guatemala on two occasions through the Rotary Club to renovate a boarding school (AK' Tenamit) and deliver water purifiers to remote villages. Greg looks forward to representing the residents of Ward 4 through his participation on the Caucus Committee and giving back to the Lake Forest community.
Alexander Wilcox
Alexander Wilcox, M.D. is a biology professor at Lake Forest College. He started his career at Brown University in 2010, and continued at Providence College in Rhode Island. Alex grew up in northern suburbs of Chicago and has lived in Lake Forest for 12 years. His scientific research has focused on the effect of protein structure on various cell processes, as well as the chemotherapeutic role of sulforaphane. Alex is married with three children, all of whom attend Lake Forest County Day School. Alex was appointed by the Lake Forest Caucus Committee in September 2023 to serve out the term of a Ward 4 Representative who resigned and has been active in the Caucus since then. He is now seeking election to a full term as a Ward 4 Representative. He loves the small town feel here in Lake Forest looks forward to continuing his service to Lake Forest as a Caucus Committee member.