Forest Preserve Board Reelects Angelo Kyle President, Names John Wasik Vice President 

At a special meeting on Monday, December 7, the Board of Commissioners reelected Angelo Kyle of Waukegan (District 14) as president of the Lake County Forest Preserves. The Board also elected John Wasik of Grayslake (District 6) to serve as vice president. Both will serve two-year terms ending December 2022.
 

"I would like to thank my fellow Board members for the privilege of being reelected president of the Lake County Forest Preserves. It's a wonderful opportunity to continue leading this great organization and serving the citizens of Lake County,” Kyle said after he was named to a second term in the top post. "With our forest preserves experiencing record high usage levels and our non-tax revenues declining sharply, both due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this board has an important focus. Throughout the pandemic, nature has proved its worth as an outlet and resource benefitting people's overall physical, emotional and mental well-being."

Kyle, 63, served as president from 2018 to 2020. Prior, he served terms as vice president of the Lake County Forest Preserves from 1992 to 1994 and 2006 to 2008. Over the past few years, Kyle chaired the Steering Committee which worked on updating Objectives for the 100-Year Vision and Strategic Plan. The resulting set of Objectives, or 5-year goals, were adopted by the Board this past summer. "One of the new initiatives that means a great deal to me, and that I personally championed, is focused on public awareness of forest preserves as a fitness and recreation destination, and the important role they play in our overall physical and mental wellness," stated Kyle.

During his first term as president, as well as throughout his previous tenure on the Forest Preserve Board, he was committed to supporting and advancing all facets of the agency's mission, serving on every standing committee and helping to double in size the acreage under the agency’s care and management. He also assisted in creating the Preservation Foundation in 2007, served on its Board of Directors from 2010 to 2012, and was a voting member from 2018 to 2020.

Kyle, a pastor at St. Matthew Missionary Baptist Church in Waukegan, also served as Deputy Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the sate of Illinois for three years beginning in 2012. 

Wasik 63, joined the Board in 2018. During the past two years, he has served as chair of the Planning Committee, is a voting member of the Preservation Foundation, and is on the Finance and Rules committees. An avid hiker and bicyclist, he is the owner of JK Enterprises and is a professional speaker, journalist, environmentalist, and author of 19 books. 

As the newly elected leadership team, they will oversee nearly 31,000 acres of natural lands, 207.3 miles of trails, 178 full-time and 47 part-time and temporary employees, and a 2021 budget of $65,767,790. The calendar year 2021 budget total represents an 18% decrease over the 2020 budget.

Leadership will also have to address ongoing concerns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused 2020 non-tax revenues to decline by an estimated $1.7 million. Many forest preserve amenities were reduced and facilities forced to close or modify services. "This comes at a time when people are visiting the forest preserves more than ever before and rediscovering the benefits of being outside in nature," Kyle said.

The Lake County Forest Preserves was created by referendum in 1958 and serves as principal guardian of Lake County's open space and natural areas. Its boundaries are the same as those of Lake County. The organization is managed by an elected Board, made up of 21 commissioners who also serve as members of the Lake County Board.

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Angelo Kyle, President, Lake County Forest Preserves, 2020–2022.


John Wasik, Vice President, Lake County Forest Preserves, 2020-2022.