Treasurer’s Note Newsletter

November 5, 2026

What My Cats Taught Me About Independence

My video about returning more than $28,000 in missing money to an animal shelter generated a lot of discussion. I heard from many dog owners about their adoption stories and the animals that quickly became a part of their families. I also heard from a few cat lovers asking why I didn’t more prominently showcase their feline friends. First, we returned the money on National Dog Day, so it made sense to focus on canines. Second, I have no anti-feline bias. True,…

October 23, 2026

This Year’s Costumes Mean a Little More

I have always been a little jealous of people who have intricate, creative, and homemade Halloween costumes. Maybe it’s because as a kid, I frequently had the plastic costumes you would wear over your clothes with a plastic mask pressed against your face, hoping the elastic string wouldn’t break. I wish I could say that I did better with my kids, but with the twins, we have taken the easy route. They have dressed as a pair of pumpkins, as ketchup and mustard, and as M&M’s.…

October 21, 2026

The Illinois Ideas That Helped Shape the World

Last week’s Treasurer’s Note unleashed a lot of pride in Illinois’ history of innovations, and readers were quick to let me know about their favorites. Several of them, I was aware of. A few of them were new to me. Thank you for enlightening me! Now I’d like to enlighten our readers by picking out a baker’s dozen of great Illinois innovations. We didn’t have space for them all. Hopefully, highlighting these inventions will help you learn something you didn’t…

October 9, 2026

From Feeling Out of Place to Finding Pride

I distinctly remember the fear I felt when my aunt and uncle dropped me off on Yale’s campus 35 years ago this fall. I had never visited the school and didn’t know anyone. As I met people, I realized there weren’t many people like me there. I grew up the son of a Teamsters truck driver in a small farming town of about 800. My parents hadn’t gone to college. My grandparents hadn’t even attended high school after dropping out in junior high to work on the farm. I wasn’t the only…

October 2, 2026

Make the Most of Every Season of Life

I choose to remain a Midwesterner for many reasons, but one of them is that I really appreciate having four seasons. That doesn’t mean that I like all four seasons equally. In Illinois, spring holds the promise of warming days. It also frequently disappoints us with cold, rainy days and the occasional snowstorm. I’m guessing most people look forward to warm summer days. As someone who often wears a suit to work, anything over 80° can leave me a sweaty mess. I do enjoy freshly fallen snow,…