Bill Cotter of Hinsdale is the newest member of the Community Consolidated District 181 Board.
Cotter was seated at the board's March 23 virtual meeting to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Bill Merchantz. Cotter's term will run until the consolidated general election on April 6, 2021.
"We were fortunate to have a strong group of candidates apply for the board vacancy and appreciate their interest in serving the D181 community," said Meeta Patel, board vice president. "We look forward to Mr. Cotter's contributions to the board and the unique perspective his legal and construction expertise will bring to our district."
Cotter has lived in Hinsdale for more than seven years and has a kindergartner at The Lane School. He cited his legal background and years of business experience among his qualifications.
"I have a strong desire to contribute my efforts to make D181 the best it can be for my daughter and the rest of the students in the district," he said.
Cotter currently serves as vice president and general counsel for Cotter Consulting Inc., which provides construction program and project management services in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Dallas. In particular, Cotter leads his company's human resources function, giving him valuable insight into recruiting talented professionals. He is also experienced in analyzing financial statements and using data sourced from those documents to develop strategies to manage costs and understand where investments will have the greatest impact.
"I believe this knowledge is fundamental to serving as a steward of taxpayer funds as a D181 board member," Cotter said.
Applications from district residents to fill the seat were accepted through March 6. The board interviewed three candidates the week of March 9 before selecting Cotter to fill the vacancy.
