A life of service

Paul Palazzolo, a stalwart of Sangamon County Republican
politics, told Illinois Times Friday he is stepping down as circuit
clerk to become executive director of Kiwanis International.

The 57-year-old Springfield native has held public office
since 2001, when he was elected to the Springfield Park Board. He has also
served as county auditor, treasurer of the Springfield Airport Authority and
circuit clerk. He was reelected to his current position in 2020.

But Palazzolo has been involved in Kiwanis far longer than his time in public office. His first foray with the service club was when he
was attending Griffin High School in the early 1980s and was active in Key
Club, a student-led organization within Kiwanis International.

His new job with Kiwanis will pay $200,000 annually, a
significant raise from the $111,000 he earns as circuit clerk.  His last day in public office will be Sept.
30.

His replacement will be selected by the Sangamon County
Board. Board Chairman Andy Van Meter said he will likely begin the process of finding a replacement in August by taking applications.

Van Meter said he will then make a recommendation to the board, which will vote on the replacement. Since the board is controlled by Republicans,
it’s all but assured that the replacement will be another member of the GOP.

Van Meter said he does not have any candidates in mind for the position, which handles much of the administration of the Sangamon County courts.

Palazzolo holds a degree in finance from the University of
Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is married and has two adult children.

Palazzolo said he grew up in a nonpolitical family. His
father was a restaurant owner and his mother an accountant. But he became
interested in politics in high school while following the 1980 presidential
race.

“When I saw Ronald Reagan debate Jimmy Carter, what Reagan
had to say just made a lot more sense to me,” he said. Ever since he has
labeled himself a “Reagan Republican.”

“A Reagan Republican is conservative and affable,” he said.

Van Meter said Palazzolo is often the preferred emcee for
Republican events, a role that he hopes he will continue even after taking the
new job.

During the 2021 Illinois State Fair, Palazzolo’s emceeing landed
him in hot water after telling jokes about Gov. JB Pritzker’s weight. For
example, he said JB stood for “Just Bacon” and the state was devoting its
infrastructure spending to buying the governor new belts.

Palazzolo remains unapologetic about his Bob Hope-type
routine.

“I believe we’re all too sensitive about comedy these days.
… I’m heavy. I have no qualms joking about it. I’m a Bob Hope aficionado,” he
said.

During his time as circuit clerk, Palazzolo made it possible
for law firms to file paperwork with the court system electronically, began a
system of video recording some court hearings for the public to view and worked
with judges to allow people to appear in traffic court via video conferencing.

In 2015, Palazzolo ran for Springfield mayor but was defeated
by then-city treasurer Jim Langfelder. While the loss remains a disappointment,
he said he learned a lot during the campaign about voters’ concerns, and it has
enabled him to serve more effectively as circuit clerk.

Palazzolo said he will divide his time between Springfield
and Indianapolis, where Kiwanis International is headquartered, while he runs
day-to-day affairs for the service group, which has nearly 500,000 members
worldwide.

While the bulk of the 200 staff members he will oversee are
in Indianapolis, he will also be responsible for an office in Belgium and field
staff stationed worldwide.

In 2009 and 2010 he served as international president of
Kiwanis and was responsible for hiring the executive director he is replacing.
Among the highlights of his tenure was meeting Pope Benedict XVI.

Dave Newton, president of the Springfield Downtown Kiwanis
Club, of which Palazzolo is a longtime member, said his strength is serving as
a mentor to others.

For example, Palazzolo has been the adult adviser to the
Sacred Heart-Griffin Key Club since shortly after he graduated college.

“The thing I love about Paul is his commitment to community
service. He teaches the kids not just that it is something they should do, but
something they should want to do. He teaches that it is a fulfilling, wonderful
experience,” Newton said.

One of the young people he guided in Key Club was Amanda
Brown.

“When I was starting out in the club, I was a pretty shy and
timid person. And with Paul’s guidance and support, I was really able to find
my passion and become a successful leader. He was always trying to help guide
me to take the lead on different projects and get more involved in the
community,” she said.

After graduating high school, Brown joined the downtown
Kiwanis Club and launched a program to create Reading Corners, small children’s
libraries in places like laundromats, the Salvation Army and the YMCA. The
22-year-old is in the process of launching her sixth reading corner. 

“Paul was there to offer support and any help that he could,”
she said “He’s a really good person. He is not only funny, but he is very
compassionate and caring. Honestly, when I think about Key Club or Kiwanis, I
can’t envision it without Paul. So, when I found out he got this executive
position, I thought this is what he was made for. He’s Mr. Kiwanis to me.”

This article appears in Repurposing MacMurray Hall.