Joe Chiarelli was born and raised in Winnebago County. He is the son of a small business owner and spent many years working with his father at Vince the Tailor, the family tailoring business. As a small business owner for over 20 years, Joe learned a lot about service to others and the importance of treating people with respect and honesty.

That basic philosophy, coupled with Joe’s love of community and the people within it, has led to many business successes and to his success in serving his community. Over a decade ago, Joe served on the Rockford Zoning Board of Appeals and then later on the Winnebago County Zoning Board of Appeals. His years of service on those boards were full of challenges and problem-solving, as well as many interactions with elected officials of all levels. His service on those boards is where Joe learned the value of making good decisions that impact the quality of life of the people he served.

Joe’s combined experience and skills led him to run for Rockford Alderman in 2013. Joe is currently serving his second term. As an Alderman, Joe was at the forefront of every major issue facing the city of Rockford from 2013, when he was first elected, to 2020, when he was elected Winnebago County Board Chairman.

Joe has always been well respected and admired amongst his colleagues for his ability to work through problems and create solutions. Joe brought his experience as an Alderman and Chairman of the codes and regulations committee, and as a member of the Winnebago County Zoning Board, to his new role as county board chairman. Joe pledged to work with the County Board, elected officials, and all of the parties involved in issues facing our Winnebago County and has been successful in that effort.

Joe lives in Rockford and has been married for over 40 years to his wife Connie. Together they have two adult children, Claudia and Vince, and a daughter-in-law, Shayna. Their grandson Joseph is the next generation for the Chiarelli family and is a major motivating factor in Joe’s commitment to Winnebago County.