Gene's Biography


Personal

Born November 14, 1947 to Theodore and Caroline Schulter. The youngest of five children, who all attended John Audubon School. Graduated from Lake View High School in 1966.

  • Received Bachelor's degree from Loyola University in 1970
  • Harvard School of Government - Fannie Mae Foundation Fellows Program 
  • Married to the former Rosemary Biebel, with two children, Philip and Monica.

Council Career

Joined the Chicago City Council in 1975 at age 26. He is one of the youngest aldermen to ever serve in this body.

  • Chair, City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection
  • Past Chair, Committee on Beautification and Recreation
  • Past Chair, Committee on Cable Television
  • Past Chair, Committee on Historical Landmark Preservation
  • Member:
    • Committee on the Budget and Government Relations
    • Committee on Finance
    • Committee on Committees, Rules and Ethics
    • Committee on Traffic Control and Safety
    • Committee on Zoning
    • Committee on Parks and Recreation

Affiliations

Board Member for the following:

  • Levy Senior Citizens Center Advisory Board
  • Greening of Ravenswood Committee
  • Common Food Pantry
  • Saint Benedict's High School Advisory Council
  • Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club Community Leadership Council

City Achievements

  • Has spearheaded the most recent license reform effort to simplify business licensing policies and procedures. In conjunction with the Mayor's Office, he has studied each of the major licensing categories and made recommendations for change that make sense for Chicago businesses.
  • Was recognized in 1993 by the Chicago Tribune for his leadership in reducing the number of license fee categories to 200 from 500 and adjusting the fees to more accurately reflect the city's cost of inspection and certification.
  • Was responsible for legislation that guaranteed equitable city-wide cable service and included minority set-asides.
  • Provided leadership as the Chair of the Committee on Landmarks for the passage of the first comprehensive landmark ordinance designed to protect and preserve Chicago's historical buildings, sites structures and works of art.
  • Led the drive for more community input on liquor licenses through legislation that reformed the City's Liquor License Code.
  • Was instrumental in achieving greater community control of the parks through the creation of local Park Advisory Councils. Led the drive to rehabilitate more than 500 playgrounds throughout the City of Chicago.
  • Sponsored the City's Landscape Ordinance, which requires the incorporation of landscape plans and planting of trees as part of every new residential, commercial or industrial development.
  • Sponsored City ordinance, which requires businesses providing consumer services to post their prices in order to reduce the possibility of unequal pricing based on gender.

Ward Achievements

  • Helped found the Sulzer Regional Library, the City's busiest library, and helped re-establish Sunday service hours at Chicago Libraries
  • Was instrumental in developing the City's first senior citizen center, the Northeast Region Levy Center
  • Helped establish the new Police and Court facilities at Belmont and Western
  • Enhanced fire protection by creating the fire station at Damen and Grace
  • Worked to create a new field house at Chase Park, and advocated for substantial improvements at Welles Park and Paul Revere Park
  • Has fostered commercial revitalization in the successful Lincoln Square Mall
  • Has created new jobs and retained skilled, high-paying jobs through the development and support of the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor
  • Created the Greening of Ravenswood Committee to beautify the 47th Ward
  • Invited and cultivated the Old Town School of Folk Music's move into the Ward
  • Advocated for and sponsored capital and operational improvements at each of the 47th Ward's public schools, including new additions at McPherson and Chappell elementary schools
  • Has led the fight against negligent and delinquent landlords in the Ward, often monitoring court proceedings on behalf of tenants and community groups
  • Established the City's first School Campus at Lake View High School
  • Has been a thoughtful leader in ensuring of the City's most stable and safe neighborhoods