Biography
Kevin Conlon
In 1998, Kevin Conlon co-founded Conlon Public Strategies, a public affairs
consulting and lobbying firm. As president of Conlon Public Strategies, Conlon offers
his clients a unique understanding of public affairs derived from over 25 years of
experience in law, government, and non-profit organizations.
Conlon's background includes various elected positions at the State and local level.
He has been involved in numerous campaigns, recently serving as the Illinois State
Chairman for Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean's 2004
presidential campaign. Conlon is currently a member of the Finance Committee of
the Democratic National Committee.
Prior to the formation of Conlon Public Strategies, Conlon practiced labor and
employment law for over a decade. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton to
serve on the Presidential Advisory Committee on Expanding Training Opportunities.
Conlon frequently wrote and lectured on labor issues and taught as an adjunct
faculty member at DePaul University and the Illinois Institute of Technology, Kent
College of Law. Conlon has been admitted to practice law in a number of states and
in the United States Supreme Court. He currently teaches at the University of
Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Studies.
Conlon is a founding partner of the Adena Ventures Fund and Hopewell Ventures
Fund which have received over $150 million in capital contributions and provide
equity investments and strategic expertise to small businesses with high growth
potential and strong entrepreneurial management teams. Adena was the first fund
recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration's New Market Venture Capital
Program.
Throughout his career, Conlon has also been active in numerous non-profit
organizations. He serves on the boards of the Great Books Foundation, Catholic
Charities, the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago, and the McClenaghan Center at
Hocking College. In addition, he is a member of the Loyola Council of Regents and a
standing member of the Economic Club of Chicago.
Conlon holds degrees from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, the
University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana), and Illinois State University. He is a
native of Chicago's south suburbs and now lives in Wilmette with his wife, Claudia
Conlon, and their three children, Cody, Carson, and Zoe.