Evanston city clerk Rodney Greene was named the 2011 Elected Official of the Year by the Illinois Township Association of Senior Citizens Services Committee on Nov. 8.
The three-year city employee said he was “overwhelmed and humbled” by the accolade, which stemmed from his “leadership and commitment to the senior citizens of Evanston,” according to a news release issued Friday by the city.
Greene said he did not know he won the award until he was at the association’s annual meeting in Springfield.
Greene was one of several people who were given awards that day.
Other awards that were given out include the President’s Award and awards from different committees, he said.
Greene won the award for his commitment to the senior citizens of Evanston.
Greene bumped senior citizens to the front of the line during the early voting process for aldermen, mayor and city clerk in 2009.
He extended the same gesture to senior citizens during city sticker purchases that year.
“They were very appreciative, and the other people in line didn’t mind so anybody who was over 65 to 70 years old went up to the lines first,” Greene said.
Greene said he missed the chance to receive the award himself in Springfield, as he was out of the room when it was announced.
Another city official accepted the award on Greene’s behalf, but he was later photographed holding the honorary placard.
Greene on Monday said he plans on trying to “get as more (awards) as I possibly can” in his coming years with the city.
Greene was named to his current post in 2008, replacing now-retired Mary Morris as city clerk.
Prior to that appointment, he worked as a senior research associate at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
Patrick Svitek contributed reporting.
