Liberty First PAC Proudly Endorse
“The sensible choice who you can trust”
McHenry County is Home
I grew up in Crystal Lake, IL and graduated from Bernotas Junior High (in those days it was called North Junior High 😊)and graduated from Crystal Lake Central High School (in those days it was called Crystal Lake Community High School, CLCHS) where sisters, Jennifer and Tammy also graduated. My dad, the late James C. Kurtz, was a respected school social worker for District 47 and 155, and my mom is former Illinois State Representative Rosemary Kurtz. I reside in Crystal Lake with my husband, Paul Minkus, and my step-daughter, Tavi Minkus, and live 2 blocks away from the house where I was raised.
Experience
My first exposure to the government sector was as an Auditor for the Office of the Illinois Auditor General while working on my MBA at the University of Illinois in Springfield. Years later I was elected as a McHenry County College Trustee from 2005 to 2010 and as a McHenry County Board Member from 2010 to 2018. During this time, I learned much about government budgeting, tax levies, cutting costs; and the importance of speaking up to serve the public at large.
In the private sector, I have over three decades as a corporate manager and a licensed financial advisor. These diverse experiences, both in an elected capacity and in the private sector provide me with professional and technical skills, as well as the Government experience needed to serve McHenry County as Treasurer.
I am also honored to be endorsed by the current McHenry County Treasurer, Glenda L. Miller, who announced she will retire at the end of her term in November 2022. Glenda publicly stated she chose to endorse me because of the work she observed me perform as a County Board member. She knows that I have the knowledge, ability, and management skills, to serve as Treasurer on Day One. Glenda trusts that I am deeply committed to protecting the financial resources of McHenry County and ensuring that the Treasurer’s Office maintains its current standards of excellence
Professionalism
In addition to receiving a BA from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL and an MBA from the University of Illinois in Springfield, IL, I hold numerous professional certifications in project management and technology management; and was licensed as a Financial Advisor with a Series 7 designation and held other certifications in the financial services industry. As a licensed financial advisor, I managed millions of dollars in investments. As a corporate manager and leader, I managed multi-million-dollar budgets with large teams and staff. In my most recent assignment, I worked in the private sector as a consultant in the banking industry.
Fiscal Conservative
Over the years I have worked hard to practice what I believe is the foundation for being a true fiscal conservative – and that is to always control spending and reduce costs where needed.
As both an MCC Trustee and a McHenry County Board Member I demonstrated my commitment to representing the best interests of McHenry County as a strong fiscal conservative. Specifically, I successfully challenged numerous public spending initiatives that resulted in avoiding spending tens of millions in unnecessary capital expenditures; as well the avoidance of the additional tens of millions of tax dollars to maintain and support these areas of excessive capital spending.
As Treasurer I will continue to use basic common-sense, best practices, and risk management to promote a fiscally conservative approach in managing our precious tax dollars.
My focus will be on these areas:
- Provide outreach efforts so all McHenry County taxpayers know of tax savings they may be entitled to receive.
- Protect the integrity of McHenry County's investments while seeking the maximum return to help keep property taxes down.
- Streamline the Treasurer's Office to control costs."
