http://www.cityofdearborn.org/government/mayors-officeMeet the Mayor
John B. (Jack) O’Reilly, Jr. was president of the Dearborn City Council for 17 years--all five of his terms--earning the highest number of votes in each election since first running in 1989.
He became Dearborn’s Mayor Pro Tem in December, 2006, following the tragic passing of Mayor Michael Guido. On February 27, 2007 he was sworn in as Mayor of Dearborn, winning the special election.
He is actively involved in a variety of Dearborn community affairs and his Dearborn roots are extensive: His father, John B. O’Reilly, Sr., was mayor from 1978-1985. He has consistently demonstrated his commitment to Dearborn neighborhoods and business owners through his leadership of the Dearborn City Council and interests around town, including involvement with the Dearborn schools.
He has significant experience in regional, state and federal levels of government, and has participated on –or led— many boards, task forces and high level committees. His experience includes directing or supporting services to senior citizens, families and businesses—in Dearborn, the region and the State.
O’Reilly has been the executive director of the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance (SEMCA) since 1996. SEMCA administers workforce and substance abuse services to residents in Monroe and Wayne counties excluding the city of Detroit.
During his long public service career, O'Reilly has been deputy executive director of programs for the Downriver Community Conference, Washington staff counsel and district director for U.S. Congressman John D. Dingell, and Chief of Staff in the Michigan State Senate.
O’Reilly is a member of the Michigan Association of Substance Abuse Coordinating Agencies (MASACA) and the Michigan Works! Association. He has been elected several times to the Steering Committee of Michigan Works! and has been on its executive committee.
He has served on the Michigan Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative, the Workforce Action Network, the National Governor’s Association Pathways Committee and Jobs, Education and Tracking Implementation Committee.
Locally he is part of the Greater Detroit Area Health Council Regional Skill Alliance for Nursing, the Wayne County Transit Authority, the Early Childhood Education Council Great Start Initiative and the M-Tech Alliance Executive Committee.
A licensed Michigan attorney since 1980, he was hired in 1983 to be staff counsel to the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee for the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Congressman John D. Dingell.
Upon returning to Michigan in 1986, he went to work under contract for the Michigan Commerce Department. In 1987, O’Reilly joined the Downriver Community Conference, which evolved into SEMCA in 1996.
He is a graduate of Dearborn's St. Alphonsus High School, received his Associate of Arts degree from Oakland University, and his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of Detroit.
In Dearborn, he has coached youth soccer, basketball and baseball and participated with his children in Scouting. He also was active in the PTA, including serving as president of the DuVall Elementary School PTA.
He and his wife, Christina, are the parents of three boys: Devon, Sean and Dylan.