GODFREY – Local economic development advocate Monica Bristow, D-Godfrey, was sworn in as the new state representative for the 111th District in front of a crowd of community leaders and local residents at Lewis and Clark Community College on Monday. Bristow was appointed by Madison and Jersey County officials to replace outgoing state Rep. Dan Beiser, D-Alton, who recently announced his retirement.
“It’s truly an honor for me to be here today as a new voice for our community,” Bristow said. “Throughout my career, I’ve had the great privilege of working with so many people and organizations with different backgrounds here in this area with the goal of creating new jobs, expanding economic opportunity and making our community a better place to live and work. As state representative, I’m excited to continue fostering those relationships to address important issues such as job creation, access to health care, funding for education and tax relief for middle-class families.”
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For the past 14 years, Bristow served as the President of the RiverBend Growth Association, representing ten municipalities throughout the area with a focus on education, legislation and economic development. Bristow was instrumental in bringing local municipalities and community groups closer together to work for the best interest of the whole RiverBend Region.
“I’ve spent my entire career working with businesses, labor groups, and local governments to encourage economic development and I want to bring that same expertise to Springfield,” Bristow said. “I want to make sure that we’re creating new jobs in our area and keeping the good jobs here that we already have. I’ll stand up to the extreme politicians who are out to destroy the middle class by slashing wages, sending good-paying jobs overseas and putting more money into the pockets of big corporations at the expense of working families.”
Bristow is active in the community as a member of many local organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Madison-Bond County Workforce Innovation Board, Illinois Rivers Foundation, YMCA Board, United Way Southwestern Illinois Auxiliary Board, OSF St. Anthony’s Hospital and several others. In 2015, she was awarded the Chamber Executive of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
“I know our state faces many challenges and there is a lot of work to be done,” Bristow said. “While divisive politics across the nation have focused on what divides us, I’m going to focus on the issues that we have in common. I’m ready to work with Democrats and Republicans do what is right for our district and protect the values that our families depend on.”
Bristow and her husband, Melvin, are longtime residents of Godfrey where they raised their two sons Nicholas and Daniel.
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