Elgin Mayor David J. Kaptain Named First Mayoral Recipient of Champion of Metro West

Elgin Mayor David J. Kaptain was selected to receive the Champion of Metro West award, becoming the first mayor in the organization's history to earn the honor.

The Champion of Metro West award honors legislators, business partners and municipal leaders who demonstrate outstanding service, dedication and support for the mission of the Metro West Council of Government. Nominated by fellow municipal members across the region, Kaptain joins a distinguished group of past honorees, including state Sen. Linda Holmes, state Sen. Don DeWitte and Pete Wallers of Engineering Enterprises, Inc.

“We thank Mayor Kaptain not only for his years of service to Elgin but for his consistent and steady voice in the region,” said Metro West Executive Director Lesli Melendy. “He has been a strong partner of Metro West, and his work on our behalf makes him especially deserving of this award.”

Kaptain's decades of public service in Elgin span multiple leadership roles. He began serving on the Elgin Planning Commission from 1999 to 2005 and has served as chairman of the Elgin Community Network from 2000 to 2023. He was first elected to the Elgin City Council in 2005 and was elected mayor in 2011. Before his full-time leadership in local government, Kaptain worked as chief chemist and director of process control for the Fox River Water Reclamation District. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bradley University.

The award was presented during Metro West's annual evening of appreciation on Oct. 22 at Riverside Banquets in Geneva.

Metro West Council of Government is a council of municipalities serving a population of more than 750,000 in Kane, Kendall and DeKalb Counties of Illinois. Metro West serves its members and the region, in part, by promoting excellence in local government and serving as a strong advocate for municipalities.

For more information about Metro West Council of Government and the Champion of Metro West award, visit www.metrowestcog.org.