Jo

By Elizabeth Davies

Joseph Sosnowski was 27 years old and a newcomer to Rockford when he defeated a 20-year veteran for the spot of city alderman.

How did he do it?

“You wear out a couple pairs of shoes and knock on a lot of doors,” he says. “I didn’t have much money to spend, so I got a list of primary voters from the election board.

That was three years ago. Now nearing the end of his first term, Sosnowski takes pride in his citywide accomplishments. He pushed hard for a sales tax referendum designed to save property owners half a percent on their taxes.

A Chicago-area native, Sosnowski also worked on legislation to bring down as many as 30 billboards in cluttered corners of the city.

And Sosnowski isn’t done. The next project in his mind is creating a better entryway for visitors coming off I-90 onto State Street. He envisions landscaping, benches, overpass walkways and lighting.

“It’s our major entrance to town, and you drive through and it’s just blah,” says Sosnowski, who works as vice president for commercial real estate for Buckley. “There’s nothing that says, ‘This is Rockford.’ ”

A father of two, Sosnowski got his start in politics while studying at NIU, where he was involved in student government, and became a city alderman in DeKalb.

Although he also serves on the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, is a member of the Knights of Columbus and attends Holy Family Parish, Sosnowski uses politics to make Rockford a better place. “It’s my way of giving back to the community,” he says.

Local designer Eli Nicolosi often works with Sosnowski and has been impressed with his ability to establish unity under pressure.

“He is very charismatic,” Nicolosi says. “He has a great ability to bring people together and work together in a very positive environment.”