Dan Ross, 36

By Mary Erpenbach

Dan Ross laughs when asked if his deep Rockford roots ever tempted him into politics. His grandfather, Ben Schleicher, was mayor for 16 years, and his dad Tom was county auditor for 20. “I love being involved, but I don’t know if I’m wired that way,” he said.

Instead, Ross moved away for college and an early career, and then returned home to help Rockford shine by volunteering for a variety of civic and business organizations.

His studies took him to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for an undergraduate degree in finance and to Chicago for an MBA from DePaul University. He traveled the country as a bank examiner for the Federal Reserve and worked in the Chicago suburbs before returning to Rockford with his wife and two children.

“Having lived in other locations and come back, I strongly realize what Rockford has to offer,” he said.

After coming home, Ross quickly rose to his present position with Williams-Manny, one of the largest insurance agencies in the state. Simultaneously, he set about helping Rockford realize its potential. He was recruited to the board of the Discovery Center Museum and now chairs the fund development committee. He also serves on the board of the Rockford Chapter of Financial Executives International and volunteers with the YMCA’s annual Strong Kids Campaign, the Green Bear Disability Awareness Fair and the Rockford Area Literacy Council.