Kankakee County has been his home for over 20 years. His family grew up in the South Suburbs; having lived and worked in the Chicago area for nearly 50 years. He has been in the building trades as a Millwright for 28 years and recently retired from Local 1693. Most of his work has been in industrial production such as auto manufacturing, electrical generation industry; which includes fossil fuel, nuclear power and green energy; as well as other essential manufacturing processes that include the food industry, for example. He started his career as a production factory worker where he worked for nearly 20 years; beginning in industrial mechanics and leaving as a shift supervisor in the production department.
He has served as a union steward for over 40 years in both positions. Labor and working-class families have always been close to his heart. They have impacted his life and livelihood by being good stewards in the community. He believes in working families achieving the American Dream. By doing so, we contribute to and build stronger communities.
Because of redistricting in 2021, Larry Kerkstra is now serving in District 23 of the Kankakee County Board. Please direct all emails to [email protected] for county related business or [email protected] for political communications.