Holly Kim
Holly Kim | |
|---|---|
 2025 portrait | |
| Lake County Treasurer | |
| Assumed office December 2018 | |
| Preceded by | David Stolman |
| Village of Mundelein Trustee | |
| In office May 2013 – May 2017 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 21, 1980 California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Ben Shin (m. 2017) |
| Education | Northeastern Illinois University (BA) |
Holly Kim (born September 21, 1980) is an American politician. She is the current Lake County Treasurer, first taking office in December 2018, and then winning reelection in 2022. She previously served as Trustee for the Village of Mundelein from 2013 to 2017. Kim is a member of the Democratic Party and was the first woman[1] and Asian-American to be elected to the position of Lake County Treasurer, as well as the first Korean-American woman elected in the state of Illinois. [2] Kim was first elected as Village of Mundelein Trustee in 2013 [3] and then ran unsuccessfully, losing by five votes, for Mayor of Mundelein in 2017,[4] before running for Lake County Treasurer in 2018. On August 4th, 2025, Kim announced she would run for Illinois Comptroller after current Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced she would not seek re-election in 2026.[5]
Early life and education
Kim was born in California to Korean immigrant parents who owned a copier and typewriter repair shop, raised in Chicago in Koreatown where she attended Walt Disney magnet School in the city of Chicago, and went to high school in Northbrook, IL. Kim graduated from Glenbrook North High School in 1998, and then pursued higher education at Northeastern Illinois University, where she graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Latino American Studies. While in college, Kim became a mother, and continued her education by taking classes part-time, working full-time, and utilizing programs like WIC, Medicaid, and Head Start.[6]
In addition to her official village and county positions, Kim has been actively involved in her community through volunteer work with a number of groups and organizations, such as Mundelein School District 75, Mano a Mano Family Resource Center, Mundelein High School, Community Protestant Church, Represent.us Lake County, Mundelein Police Statue Committee, Hanul Family Senior Center Board, and Village Homesteading Mundelein.[7]
Career
Village of Mundelein Trustee (2013–2017)
Prior to her decision to run for elected office with the Village of Mundelein, Kim was involved with Village Homesteading Mundelein, a non-profit organization that focuses on gardening and self-reliance, and their efforts to lobby the Village of Mundelein regarding local property rights. In 2012, Kim spoke to the village board about the property rights issue, but the board did not side with Kim and Village Homesteading Mundelein. [8] It was this issue, and the lack of relief from the village board, that resulted in Kim deciding to run for Trustee of the Village of Mundelein.
In 2013, Kim ran as an independent for the non-partisan position of Village of Mundelein Trustee. She received the second highest vote total among seven candidates for three open Trustee positions, [9] and was sworn into that position in May of 2013.
During her tenure, Kim was the only trustee to publicly oppose Governor Bruce Rauner’s proposed “Turnaround Illinois Agenda,” which sought to expand local control over collective bargaining and labor regulations. At an April 2015 village board meeting that drew more than 200 protestors, Kim raised concerns about the lack of supporting data in the proposal and stated that approving controversial measures on short notice was inappropriate. She also emphasized the constitutional right to assemble and questioned the relevance of local endorsement for matters governed at the state level.[10]
In 2015, the mayor of Mundelein gave a controversial Fourth of July speech that received pushback from the community and from Trustee Kim, where she publicly expressed concern about the mayor using his official position to give a speech with politically charged personal opinions, indicating it was inappropriate and that she was disheartened.[11] Approximately one year later, on July 2, 2016, Kim announced her intent to run for mayor of Mundelein, and cited the controversial speech as playing a role in her decision to opt to run for mayor rather than a second term as trustee. [12] Although it was close, Kim did not prevail in that election, losing by a mere five votes. [13]
Lake County Treasurer (2018–Present)
Kim decided to run for Lake County Treasurer, believing there was great potential for her to implement growth in the office while keeping expenses down.[14] Kim ran as a Democrat against the incumbent Republican, and won with 54.28% of the vote in 2018. [15] She also ran for, and won, reelection in 2022, defeating her Republican opponent with 58.34% of the vote. [16]
During her tenure as Lake County Treasurer, Holly Kim has overseen record levels of investment and interest income generated from county funds. In fiscal year 2023, the Lake County Treasurer’s Office generated approximately $23 million in investment income, the highest annual total reported by the office in more than a decade. [17] According to the Treasurer’s Office, fiscal year 2024 was projected to meet or exceed that figure, with expected investment and bank interest earnings of at least $24 million by the end of the fiscal year. The office reported that its investment strategy emphasized asset diversification, fixed-income management, and risk controls amid fluctuating interest rates.
The Treasurer’s Office has described itself as a revenue-generating department, reporting that for every dollar allocated to its operating budget, it returns approximately $16 to Lake County through investment earnings. In addition to long-term investment income, Kim’s office manages interest revenue earned during the property tax collection cycle. For Tax Year 2024 (payable in 2025), the Lake County Treasurer’s Office earned $3,222,519.71 [18] in interest revenue by holding collected tax funds in interest-bearing accounts between scheduled distributions. This interest revenue was distributed among 278 local taxing districts within Lake County, including school districts, municipalities, libraries, and fire protection districts, in proportion to their levies. According to the Treasurer’s Office, these interest earnings provided additional revenue to local taxing bodies beyond their levied property taxes.
On August 4, 2025, Kim announced she would run for Illinois Comptroller after current Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced she would not seek re-election in 2026.[19]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Dawn Abernathy | 1,806 | 19.80 | |
| Independent | Holly Kim | 1,705 | 18.69 | |
| Progress Mundelein Now | Ray Semple | 1,599 | 17.53 | |
| Progress Mundelein Now | Jim Nutschnig | 1,441 | 15.80 | |
| Progress Mundelein Now | Kerry Garesche | 1,008 | 11.05 | |
| Independent | Alexander Kvasnicka | 1,004 | 11.01 | |
| Independent | Gregory S. Jacobs | 559 | 6.13 | |
| Total votes | 9,122 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent | Steve Lentz (incumbent) | 2,249 | 46.01 | |
| A Mundelein United | Holly Kim | 2,244 | 45.91 | |
| Independent | Ray Ladewig | 395 | 8.08 | |
| Total votes | 4,888 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Holly Kim | 134,199 | 54.28 | |
| Republican | David Stolman (incumbent) | 113,015 | 45.72 | |
| Total votes | 247,214 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Holly Kim (incumbent) | 131,012 | 58.34 | |
| Republican | Paula McGuire | 93,543 | 41.66 | |
| Total votes | 224,555 | 100 | ||
References
- ↑ Schaenzer, Amie (2019-01-24). "First Female Elected Treasurer For Lake Co. Receives Award". Patch News. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ "BEING ASIAN-AMERICAN AND AN ELECTED OFFICIAL | North Suburban YMCA".
- ↑ "Lake - Election Results".
- ↑ "Mundelein: A history. Part six: Recessions and recoveries, 2002-2017". Cook Memorial Public Library District. 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ Selle, Charles (2025-07-21). "Column: Lake County treasurer has hopes for statewide post". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ Sapp, Brian (2025-11-25). "Illinois Democratic Comptroller candidate Holly campaigns in Carbondale". WISU.org. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ "Holly Kim: Candidate Profile". Daily Herald. 2017-03-09. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ Kambic, Rick (2015-04-27). "New trustee to push for chickens in Mundelein". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ "Lake - Election Results".
- ↑ Kambic, Rick (2015-04-14). "Union workers flood Mundelein meeting to protest Rauner 'Turnaround Agenda'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ Kambic, Rick (2015-07-07). "Mundelein mayor's July 4 speech on 'moral crisis' sparks fireworks". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ Kambic, Rick (2016-07-02). "Kim announces Mundelein mayoral bid; Lentz to seek reelection". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2025-12-02.
- ↑ https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Lake/66833/185997/Web01/en/summary.html
- ↑ Coleman, Emily (2018-10-29). "Election 2018: A bigger role for the Lake County treasurer?". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2025-12-02. Unknown parameter
|middle=ignored (help) - ↑ "Election Night Reporting".
- ↑ "Election Night Reporting".
- ↑ "Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim Delivers Solid Investment Returns and Previews Blockbuster Year".
- ↑ "Lake County Treasurer Holly Kim Announces over $3 Million in Interest Revenue for TY24 Payable in 25".
- ↑ https://www.voteforhollykim.com/
- ↑ "Lake - Election Results".
- ↑ https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/Lake/66833/185997/Web01/en/summary.html
- ↑ "Election Night Reporting".
- ↑ "Election Night Reporting".
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