Forrest Claypool

CTA President Forrest Claypool is a former Superintendent of the Chicago Park District and a two-term member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. The Chicago Tribune wrote that “Claypool’s leadership skills, managerial savvy and concern for taxpayer dollars rescued a decrepit Chicago Park District in the 1990’s.” On the county board, Forrest passed whistleblower legislation and led a successful drive to cut sales taxes. He also won funding for expansion of the county’s child advocacy center for abused kids. As transit chief, Claypool wiped out a $308 million deficit while protecting rail and bus service, negotiated a historic new labor agreement, improved security with a massive surveillance camera system, and launched the most ambitious infrastructure modernization campaign in CTA history. Forrest is a graduate of Southern Illinois University and the University of Illinois College of Law, where he was editor-in-chief of the law review.