Illinois will only get economically healthy if we stop focusing on growing minimum wages and start focusing on growing everyone's wages.

Being a successful CEO, where I've driven a bottom line, assembled teams, driven results, that's a critical benefit to running the state government.

I think we've got to be competitive here in Illinois. It's critical we're competitive. We're hurting our economy by having the minimum wage above the national. We've got to move back to the national.

The critical thing is that we have to reduce the tax burden.

A college education shows a man how little other people know.

My daddy wanted me to be a farmer; feel the smoothness of Alabama clay and become one of the first blacks in my town to own land. But, I was worried about my history being caked with that southern clay, and I subscribed to a different kind of teaching and learning in my bones and in my spirit.

A self-defined challenge is an irresistible teacher.

Themes around education and learning run through my work.