No matter what roles Jack Preschlack took on as a Lake Forest official, his family and admirers speak of a common directive to make a contribution to the community he loved.
Preschlack, who served as Lake Forest’s mayor from 2002 – 2005, died of natural causes on June 26th at his Vero Beach, Florida home, according to his family. He was 92.
In addition to his three years as mayor, Preschlack was a plan commission member and spent six years on the City Council.
“Although I did not have the pleasure of serving on the City Council with former Mayor Jack Preschlack, I had the opportunity to get to know him,” current Lake Forest Mayor Stanford “Randy” Tack said in a statement. “Jack was very kind and gracious to me. He impressed me as forward thinking, highly intelligent, and passionate about the City of Lake Forest. He served the community in many capacities giving generously of his time, ideas, and energy.”
Raised in the Bronx, Preschlack often played stickball in the streets or assisted at his father’s furniture store, his family recalled.
With his parents emphasizing education, Preschlack excelled in the classroom, He graduated high school at the age of 17 with his next step studying electrical engineering at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he graduated with honors in 1954.
Preschlack then enlisted in the United States Air Force carrying out duties as a Project Officer centering on a high priority bombing system, according to the family.
Eventually retiring as a captain in the Air Force Reserve, Preschlack enrolled at the Harvard Business School where he graduated in 1958 with a MBA as a Baker Scholar.
Later that year, his professional career began when hired by McKinsey & Company. On a personal level, 1958 was also the year he met Lynn Stanley as the two started dating. They were married in 1962 in Briarcliff Manor, NY.
Working on international business for McKinsey, the Preschlacks moved frequently living in London, Chappaqua, NY, and Düsseldorf, Germany while raising three boys.
The Preschlacks eventually decided to return to the United States believing that was best for their children as Preschlack left McKinsey. Nevertheless, he took on other corporate executive roles, leading to another series of moves including Briarcliff Manor, New York, Darien, Connecticut, and Weston, Massachusetts.
“Our dad enjoyed business because of the people he met and the problems he could help solve, he loved applying his skills and experiences to solve problems,” his family noted.
In 1977, upon being named President and CEO of General Binding Corporation, the Preschlacks made Lake Forest their new home as the community was strongly endorsed by a family friend.
Three years later, Preschlack started to take a direct role in the city’s civic affairs, becoming a member of the plan commission. He served on that body for six years, the last two years as chairman. In 1990, he was elected first ward alderman.
“Jack was a very smart and passionate cheerleader for Lake Forest,” remembered former City Manager Bob Kiely in an e-mail. “He had a deep love for the community and was very protective of its history, ambiance, and quality of life. He was a strong supporter of city staff, and he was not afraid to voice his opinions and beliefs, even in the face of vocal opposition.”
A component of Preschlack’s City Council tenure was his opposition to the opening of a McDonald’s on Waukegan Road as some in the community expressed traffic and safety concerns, leading to litigation between the city and the corporation.
“Whether it be a fast-food chain or cookie-cutter residential development, he was not afraid to stand up for what he believed was incongruent to the fabric of Lake Forest,” Kiely wrote.
(The city spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees trying to prevent McDonald’s from opening, but the company prevailed. The restaurant eventually opened, but it closed in 2017.)
Preschlack served the traditional six years on the City Council. He was elected mayor in 2002, succeeding Howard Kerr.
During his term, voters approved a referendum allowing the city to acquire land on Route 60, which is now Townline Park. Also, the City Council approved updated residential building square footage and landscape ordinance regulations.
Another critical moment occurred in 2002, when city voters supported a half-percent sales tax to pay for storm and sanitary sewer improvements.
“The storm and sanitary sewers in many parts of the community had passed their useful life and were creating unhealthy and undesirable conditions for many homeowners,” Kiely remembered. “His strong belief was that the roads, sewers, buildings, ravines, waterlines, etc. all needed attention on an ongoing basis if the community was to maintain property values and the quality-of-life residents desired.”
In 2004, voters approved a switch to a home-rule form of government. Under state law, home rule generally allows municipalities more flexibility in making decisions regarding self-governance.
Preschlack advocated for the change believing it was an opportunity for the city to have more control over its future, Kiely recalled.
“He did not have a high level of confidence in the state legislature and felt that Lake Forest needed home rule status to decide locally what was best for the community,” he said. “He knew that if the home rule referendum was to be successful, it required unwavering commitment by the elected officials to advocate for its passage.”
Another aspect of Preschlack’s term was a focus on affordable housing in the community amid fears some public safety personnel, teachers and other stakeholders would not be able to live in Lake Forest.
After Preschlack left office, an affordable housing ordinance was passed, leading to multiple units in the community today.
“That is much better progress than I ever would have thought and so it has really worked,” noted George Pandaleon, who was on the plan commission when Preschlack was mayor.
Pandaleon said he often spoke with Preschlack on many issues faced when he was both the plan commission chairman and when Pandaleon himself was mayor from 2019-2023.
“He was always coming up with ideas to preserve, protect, and support the future of the city,” he recalled.
Following his three years as mayor, Preschlack continued to be involved in local civic efforts. Going back to his time in the military in the 1950s, he was a member of the local McKinlock American Legion Post, which has run the annual Lake Forest Day celebration since 1921.
Yet in 2008, with the American Legion Post facing some financial issues due to dwindling membership, Preschlack worked with Art Wood in creating the Lake Forest Day Foundation, according to Ed Geraghty, the current Lake Forest Day chairman.
Raising funds through the Foundation provided some economic stability for the August event, which is highlighted by a parade and carnival.
“Jack loved Lake Forest and he was a giant in the community and he was our leader,” Geraghty said.
Preschlack was also active in the Lake Forest Career Resource Center and was a board member of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
His other interests included traveling all over the world with Lynn as well as golf and racquet sports.
Jack and Lynn Preschlack split their time between their Florida and Lake Forest homes for many years, but sold their local home in 2022, according to the family.
Survivors include Lynn, his three sons, John, Jim, and David, and daughters-in-law Pam. Paula and Alex and nine grandchildren.
A funeral service is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 12 at the Church of St. Mary, 175 E. Illinois Road in Lake Forest.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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