Jim Ardis is the mayor of Peoria, Illinois, a position he has held since 2005. He served on the Peoria City Council from 1999 through 2005.[2]
[edit] Background
Ardis is the second-oldest of nine children. When he was 10, his father, Jim Ardis, Jr., became a Peoria city councilman, serving from 1969 to 1973. His grandfather, John Bulger, had been Peoria County clerk.[1]
In 1973, he was in the last graduating class at St. Cecilia, a Catholic grade school near Peoria High School; his brother, John Ardis, was one of the hostages in the St. Cecilia hostage incident that year.[1] Ardis graduated from high school at Spalding Institute in 1977 and from Illinois State University with a bachelor of science in industrial technology in 1982.[1][2]
Ardis owned O'Leary's Restaurant from 1994 to 1997. From 1999 to 2006, Ardis worked in sales for Univar;[1] from 2006 to 2010, he was Midwest Vice President of ELM Locating.[2] Since 2010, he has been Executive Director of Corporate Strategies for Peoria-based Axis, Inc., part of Jupiter Strategic Technologies Pvt. Ltd. of Bangalore.[3][4]
[edit] Political career
Ardis sold O'Leary's Restaurant in 1997 and was appointed to the Peoria city liquor commission.[1] He was elected a Peoria city councilman at-large in 1999, and remained a member of the council until 2005.[5]
Ardis was elected as mayor in 2005, defeating incumbent Dave Ransburg. He won re-election in 2009 against General John Parker.[5]
In 2011, Ardis sought appointment to the Illinois State Senate seat vacated by the retirement of Dale Risinger. Darin LaHood, son of Ray LaHood, ultimately received the appointment.[5]
[edit] Electoral History
Peoria Mayoral Election, 2005[6]
| Candidate |
Votes |
Percentage |
|
Jim Ardis |
12,190 |
55.05% |
|
David P. Ransburg |
9,953 |
44.95% |
| Totals |
22,143 |
100.00% |
Peoria Mayoral Election, 2009[7]
| Candidate |
Votes |
Percentage |
|
Jim Ardis |
14,893 |
90.50% |
|
"General" Butler |
1,563 |
9.50% |
| Totals |
16,456 |
100.00% |
Peoria Mayoral Election, 2013[8]
| Candidate |
Votes |
Percentage |
|
Jim Ardis |
7,731 |
100.00% |
| Totals |
7,731 |
100.00% |
[edit] References
| Persondata |
| Name |
Ardis, Jim |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
Mayor of Peoria, Illinois |
| Date of birth |
|
| Place of birth |
|
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
