Joseph Wiszowaty

Joseph Wiszowaty was born in 1970 in Sauk Village, Illinois, the youngest of 8 children to Eugene Wiszowaty (1930–1970) and Anna Wiszowaty (1931–1991). Wiszowaty attended Strassburg Elementary School and Admiral H. G. Rickover Junior High School and graduated from Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois.

Wiszowaty was 18 years old in 1988, when he announced he was running for Village Trustee in his hometown of Sauk Village. On April 4, 1989, many Chicago media outlets descended on Sauk Village to cover the election of Joseph Wiszowaty, a high school student who was elected to the Village Board of Trustees, and became the youngest man elected in the State of Illinois. Wiszowaty ran on a "change" platform and would in fact bring that change to the Village Board. Because of much national and local media attention, the media would descend again on May 9, 1989, to cover Wiszowaty being sworn in as a Trustee. Wiszowaty would find himself voting against the administration on many issues during his term in office.

Wiszowaty made a presentation to the owners of the Chicago Bears to build a new stadium on the property that was proposed for the GM-Saturn plant (Currently the LogisiCenter), after securing economic commitment to expand the Enterprise Zone from the administration of Chicago Heights. The Chicago Bears declined the proposal and opted to stay in Chicago with commitments for a newer more modern stadium.

Wiszowaty served his term from 1989 to 1993, then would challenge incumbent mayor Mark Collins but lost in a three-way race. Wiszowaty would have been the youngest mayor Sauk Village ever elected had he succeeded, but holds the distinction of being the youngest candidate for Village Mayor in Sauk Village history. A petition to have Wiszowaty run again for the village board was circulated in 1995 by supporters, which likely would have led to another run for Mayor again in 1997 as the incumbent Mayor was defeated, Wiszowaty chose not to seek election to his old seat on the Village Board.

Wiszowaty was married at St. John the Evangelist Parish in St. John, Indiana on August 24, 2002 and now has 2 children. Wiszowaty still remains committed to his hometown of Sauk Village.