Thomas H. Cross III is serving his sixth term in the Illinois General Assembly as the District 84 State Representative.

First elected in 1992, his current district (determined by redistricting in 2002) includes northeastern Oswego Township in Kendall County, portions of Troy and Wheatland Townships in Will County, Plainfield Township in Will County, and 5 precincts in Naperville Township in DuPage County.

Tom practices law with Mahoney, Silverman, and Cross in Joliet. Prior to his affiliation with this firm, he practiced private law after serving 8 years as a prosecutor in the Kendall County State's Attorney's office.

Tom is a graduate of Yorkville High School and Illinois Wesleyan University. He received his J.D. from Cumberland Law School in Alabama.

Tom has been recognized for his legislative efforts by a wide variety of state and local groups. Among state groups are the Illinois Healthcare Association, the Illinois States Attorneys Association, the Illinois Library Association, the Illinois Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Credit Union League, the Illinois Drug Enforcement Officers Association, the Illinois Chiefs of Police Association, the Illinois chapter of AARP, and the Illinois State Farm Bureau.

At the local level, Tom has been commended by the Will Grundy Medical Society, the Will and Kendall Farm Bureaus, Senior Services, the Oswego School District, the Plainfield Park District, and the Fox Valley YMCA, as well as other local community and civic groups.

Tom has been especially active in legislative efforts affecting his major concerns: crime, families, seniors, agriculture, and government accountability. He maintains an active district office and encourages his constituents to call or drop by whenever they need assistance or just want to make a comment.

Tom's recent election as Republican Leader for the Illinois House gives him an opportunity to bring his collegial style to the forefront. He believes that all members should be part of the decision-making process. He is confident that the group as a whole can create better ideas than one person alone. He also is convinced that restoring confidence in government officials should be a top priority for all elected officials.