Madison Reporter

On Tuesday, January 23, 2024, the Common Council Executive Committee (CCEC) convened to make a recommendation on the appointment of an alder for District 19 according to the procedures outlined in Madison General Ordinances 2.03. After conducting candidate interviews, the Common Council Executive Committee recommended the appointment of John Guequierre to fill the vacancy of District 19.

Later that evening, the Common Council unanimously voted in favor of appointing John Guequierre to the Common Council to fill the vacancy of District 19 left by former Alder Kristin Slack, whose resignation was effective as of January 10. At approximately 6:37 p.m., John Guequierre was sworn into his new role as alder. Alder John Guequierre will serve as interim District 19 alder until April 15, 2025.

"I am appreciative of all the community members who applied for the position. Being an alder, especially one appointed to serve in an interim capacity, is no small feat. I welcome Alder Guequierre as the new representative for District 19 and look forward to supporting his leadership and contributions," says Common Council President Jael Currie.

In 2023, John ran for Common Council in District 19 and had an opportunity to engage with thousands of District 19 residents through various campaign activities including personally knocking on 2189 doors. John is passionate about the environment and the impacts of climate change. After 10 years on the board of the Wexford Village Association, a neighborhood suffering some of the worst damage from the 2018 flood event, he has seen firsthand the importance of taking action. John was appointed to the City’s Sustainable Madison Committee, is an active member of 350 Wisconsin, and enjoys engaging with the Madison alders on issues of sustainability and housing affordability, and all of the associated issues like public transit.

After graduating from UW Madison, John joined a Fortune 500 manufacturer and eventually had the opportunity to join a management group that bought one of that first employer's subsidiaries. John started several other companies. John served as a CFO, COO, and CEO of multiple enterprises of varying sizes, including small start-ups. He consults in the realm of construction technology since 2016, often advising startups. John is also an active volunteer with MERLIN Mentors, advising new technology startups, and in 2020 he founded Otologic Technologies in Wisconsin to commercialize AI for ear disease diagnosis.

“I am passionate about pursuing a bright future for Madison. While being realistic about what I can contribute during an abbreviated term, I will be focused on that bright future. Foremost, I’ll be dedicated to assuring that all District 19 voices are heard, even when we disagree. I look forward to hearing from you at district19@cityofmadison.com,” says John.

To learn more about Alder John Guequierre and about District 19, you can visit his alder district page. To contact John about city or district related issues, please reach out by email at district19@cityofmadison.com.  

Original source can be found here.