Rod Sawyer has more than 30 years of experience as a business and technology professional with strong connectivity to the Hyde Park Chicago community. He joined the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce and became a board member. He served on Alderperson Preckwinkle's former 53rd Street Tax Increment Finance Council. He also wrote a monthly opinion piece on life in Hyde Park for the Hyde Park Herald. Rod has worked for the Hyde Park Kenwood Community Conference as Manager of the Hyde Park Used Book Sale and for the Chicago Hyde Park Village managing operations and technology. Each of these roles helped deepen Rod’s commitment to supporting and growing the community in and around Hyde Park. Rod has also been involved with public safety and policing as a community advocate. He collaborated with state representatives to draft, propose, and advocate progressive policy and legislation governing the role of private police forces patrolling public areas. Rod’s goal is to leverage his experiences living and working in the neighborhood to maintain and grow Hyde Park Chicago as a prosperous, engaging and welcoming community for all.