What do you call a female mayor? Not ‘mayoress’, because that means either the wife or daughter of the district’s top official. If the mayor is a woman, she is a mayor. The village of Bolingbrook, a southwest suburb of Chicago 55 miles (88km) from the centre of the Windy City, has one. According to the 2010 US Census, the population is 73,366. Judging from the Wikipedia photos, it looks just like neat suburbia depicted in Hollywood films without clowns lurking in drains.
An old AUC-an, she has managed a yacht club. Big-name hotels have employed her expertise and experience. While playing an active role in this transatlantic community, she has maintained links with the country of her birth at the highest level.
Born in Cairo in 1969, Mary Alexander Basta spent the first five years of her life in Shubra el-Kheima, a northern suburb of the Egyptian capital. To be sure, she experienced culture shock but she soldiered on to graduate from high school in the US. She went on to study Mass Communication at the American University in Cairo and later returned stateside to major in Hospitality Management at Tennessee State University. Her qualifications earned her employment at the Sheraton & Hilton and the Four Seasons. As for her time with the Chicago Yacht Club, she said: “I was also the first female General Manager in its 125-year history.”
Mary and her husband, Dr Emad Basta, came to Bolingbrook in November 2003. They have two sons, Peter, 16, and Benjamin, 15. They chose Bolingbrook because of its diversity and all amenities.
“In all of my activities, both professional and community service, I enjoy problem-solving, finding ways to work smarter, not harder, and to take projects to the next level of success,” she said.
“Because of my activities, I met and worked with lots of people and they saw how passionate and dedicated I am.
“I am goal-oriented and work well with all types of personalities and that’s why I was able to gain the trust and support of voters.” Such was her passport to local government.
Passionate about youth development, Mary is on the Executive Board of the Bolingbrook Soccer Club, which celebrated its 40th year in the service of youth in Bolingbrook in 2018.
On becoming Bolingbook’s mayor, she said: “I did not seek the position. The position found me. I truly believe that God has a plan for each of us and this was His plan for me. Naturally, when I won the election I was honoured and thrilled.”
“This was truly an unexpected honour and privilege,” she went on. “I believe it is important for all Egyptian women to believe in their dreams and believe they can achieve them.
She has brought US investors who had their eye on Egypt.
“As a Mayor I work closely with lots of business owners and I believe that helping them grow their business in Egypt is not just a win for Egypt but also helps the business by allowing them to add the title of being international.
“I don’t believe in obstacles I believe in opportunities and where there is a will there is a way. I believe that there is potential based on our recent meeting with Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram and the Sovereign Fund of.”
On being Egyptian, she said: “Egypt is my homeland. Regardless of where I go and what I achieve, that will never change. I am proud to be Egyptian and I’m also very proud of what Egypt has accomplished over the past several years.”
“I am amazed by the enormous achievements made in a very short period of time. I applaud the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi as well as all who worked to achieve this amazing success.
Future plans? “My plan is to dedicate myself to my current position and my family. Now the real question is what Is God’s plan for me?”
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