Rep. Wehrli Chosen to be 2015 Edgar Fellow

State Representative Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) today said he is proud to be one of 40 emerging leaders in Illinois chosen as a 2015 Edgar Fellow.

The Edgar Fellows initiative, now in its fourth year, strives to inspire bi-partisan and interregional cooperation among elected and civic leaders to tackle the challenges facing Illinois. Representative Wehrli and this year’s 39 other participants were selected from more than 140 nominees which included elected and appointed officials and others who have made strides to improve our communities and our state.

“Since we launched this initiative in 2012, we have seen Democrats, Republicans and independents, from the neighborhoods in Chicago to the rural areas of deep southern Illinois, discover they have much in common even as they develop an appreciation for other viewpoints,” former Governor Jim Edgar said. "I am confident this class of fellows also will form bonds that will serve them and our state well as they climb the leadership ladder.”

“We have very serious challenges facing our state, but when we truly work together there’s no challenge we can’t meet,” Representative Wehrli said. “The Edgar Fellows program brings opposing viewpoints to the table. It provides a forum for us to get to know leaders from other parts of the state, and to build relationships. I am very honored to have been chosen to participate.”

Representative Wehrli is in his first term in the Illinois House of Representatives, serving the citizens of the 41^stDistrict in Naperville and Warrenville in DuPage and Will counties. Prior to becoming state representative, Rep. Wehrli served for 10 years as City Councilman for the City of Naperville. He also enjoyed success in the private sector as an account executive for Bosch North America and is a former small business owner.

The Edgar Fellows will meet Aug. 2-6 in Urbana-Champaign for an intense executive training program fashioned and hosted by former Governor Edgar and the University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA). For more information about the Edgar Fellows program, click here.