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Naperville native, business executive launches mayoral campaign

A familiar name is aiming to become the next mayor of Naperville.

Scott Wehrli — a Naperville native, business executive and 29-year member of the city’s liquor commission — announced Friday he’s launching a campaign to replace Steve Chirico, who says he won’t run for a third term.

It’s Wehrli’s first time seeking elective office. He’s the first candidate to enter the race for the 2023 election.

“I know firsthand how living in Naperville can change the trajectory of a person’s life, and my passion for running is our community and the people and organizations who make it a special place to live,” Wehrli said in a statement.

Wehrli, an executive at the Dukane Precast construction company, is the adopted son of local businessman and philanthropist Richard Wehrli and his mother, Judy, who died last year. Wehrli’s first cousins, Mary Lou and Grant, recently served in public office. The family has roots in Naperville dating back to the 1800s.

Scott Wehrli has been a part-time police officer with the Naperville Park District for 32 years. In a release announcing his candidacy, Wehrli said his priorities as mayor would be public safety, economic development and respect for taxpayer money.

Chirico was first elected in 2015 and replaced George Pradel, who decided not to run again after being mayor for 20 years. Pradel died in 2018 at the age of 80. While announcing his decision not to run, Chirico said he believed in term limits.

“I’m running to provide locally focused leadership in the mayor’s office,” Wehrli said, “and pledge to set aside partisan political division so that our city can stay focused on the local policies to improve our neighborhoods and quality of life.”

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