DeKalb County Clerk and Recorder Tasha Sims says she grew up on “Easy Street” in Sycamore, but her Classification speech revealed that was far from an accurate description of her real-life story. She can trace her family’s roots to the local area as far back as her great grandparents. She lived with her mom and stepdad near North School while growing up but by the time she was in high school her mom and stepdad divorced and she opted to move-in with a boyfriend. She found herself working the evening shift at Brown’s Market while going to school during the day. She was able to work her way up to greater responsibility at Brown’s and eventually was manager for the store’s second shift. Admitting that she did not always make wise choices, Sims ended up a single mom trying to make ends meet.
Thanks to support from her grandparents, Sims was able to complete course work at Kishwaukee College. Her skills opened the door for a job in County government working for County Clerk Sharon Holmes. Needing money to support herself and her child, she worked for a time at both the county and Brown’s market. Her pattern of volunteering to help other co-workers and learn new skills paid off with greater levels of job responsibilities in the county. She said she was fortunate to meet the man who would become her husband on a first date in 2012 and they now have three more children in their family.
Reflecting on her life experiences, Sims said many of her greatest learnings were from things that didn’t go well. She said she was never a student of politics and never expected to be the elected county clerk and recorder. She said she is “super thankful” for the role she has been given to serve the citizens of DeKalb County. For her personally, Sims said she looks forward to time she can spend at home with her family. She said she also enjoys the people contacts she makes while volunteering for various local charitable causes.