Mayor Don A. De Graff
A lifelong resident of South Holland, Illinois, Don A. De Graff, has been mayor since 1994, and has since been elected five times.
Prior to being appointed mayor, he was President of the South Holland Business Association, a member of the Planning Commission, and served as a Trustee for the Village of South Holland.
In addition to his responsibilities as mayor, Don presently serves as the President of the Southeast Region of MB Financial Bank and has over 40 years of banking experience. He is a graduate of Illiana Christian High School, earned a B.A. in Business Economics from Calvin College, and received an M.B.A. in Finance from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
As Mayor, he serves as a member of the Chicago Southland Economic Development Corporation, the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, and the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau. He is Chairman of the Little Calumet River Watershed Planning Council, and a member of the METRA Board of Directors. Don recognizes the importance of regional cooperation to promote infrastructure improvements and he has been the driving force for the construction of the Metra Southeast Service Line, as well as a strong proponent of the proposed South Suburban Airport in Peotone, Illinois.
Don serves as a member of the South Holland Lions Club, the South Holland Business Association, Chairman of the Elder Board of First Reformed Church, and is on the Board of Governors for Providence Life Services, Inc. He has also served in the capacity of President of the Illiana High School and Calvin Christian School Boards, and was a director on the Board and Treasurer of Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, Illinois.
As a well-respected leader in the region, Don has received numerous awards including, the Outstanding Municipal Leader Award from the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Leadership Award from the Chicago Southland Alliance, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Diversity, Inc., a Leadership Award of Excellence from the South/Southwest Association of Realtors, a Community Leadership Award from Christ Community Church of South Holland, an Appreciation Award for Christian Leadership from the South Holland Ministerial Association, and was the recipient of the Outstanding Municipality Award from the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce.
Welcome to the Village of South Holland!
It is our intention to make your experience in South Holland secure, convenient and rewarding.
Our Village was founded by early Dutch settlers in 1847. Our rich history has included a heritage of faith in God with an important emphasis on unity in the family. This heritage has outlined and defined who we are as a community. As we have grown into a diverse community we have retained and nurtured this traditional value system, which continues to provide a strong foundation for us as a Village.
Our mission as a Board and Administration is to create an atmosphere where each resident feels the acceptance of their neighbor and community. We desire to increase communication and to build strong new relationships with each other. We want to progressively move toward the goal of becoming a “Model Community” that will set the standard to which all cities, towns and villages will aspire. We will work side by side with our churches, businesses, schools, service organizations and residential leadership to accomplish this goal.
I am confident that you will find our Village to be a great place to live, work, and raise a family. If I, the Village Board or Administration can be of any assistance to you, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Don A. De Graff, Village President