Gery J. Chico (/ˈɡɛri ˈtʃiːkoʊ/ GHERR-ee CHEE-koh; born August 24, 1956) is an American politician, lawyer, public official and former Democratic primary candidate to become the U.S.

Chico served as the Chief of Staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley from 1992 to 1995, and board president of the Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to 2001.

[2][3] Gery Chico was born on August 24, 1956,[4] to a Mexican-American father, Jesse, and a Greek-Lithuanian mother, Jacqueline (née Kopulos).

[6] Chico attended a now-closed parochial school, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Elementary School at 35th and Hermitage,[7] where he headed the altar boys and patrol boys, and also played baseball for two years.

A hip injury kept him in a wheelchair during his freshman year at Thomas Kelly High School.

[5][6] A former U.S. Department of Education employee, Sunny runs a consulting firm that focuses on, among others, tutoring services and curriculum advice.

In 2002, the firm gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to Governor Rod Blagojevich and Attorney General Lisa Madigan's campaigns.

[9] He coordinated efforts to drain freight tunnels that were flooded with water from the Chicago River.

[citation needed] Chico was responsible for efforts to preserve and restore hundreds of murals in the public schools, which had been commissioned by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Progressive and New Deal eras.

[28] Then-State Senator Barack Obama ultimately won the nomination over six other candidates including Chico.

[29] In October 2007, Mayor Daley appointed Chico as president of the Chicago Park District Board of Commissioners.

[30] Chico supported the construction of a new soccer field in Lincoln Park despite opposition from local residents.

[33][34] Along with Chancellor Cheryl Hyman, Chico reformed the City Colleges budget by laying off 225 employees, removing unfilled jobs, and reducing executive spending to increase spending on technology and training for students.

Furthermore, Chico and Hyman reduced taxation on property for two straight years, and cancelled nursing programs.

[38] Chico advertised his latino background, his identity as the son of an immigrant father, his education in the Chicago Public Schools system.

[38] This was the second-greatest amount any candidate raised, however it was still only less than one-third of the $15 million in campaign funds that Emanuel was able to procure.

[38] Chico pledged to hire 2,000 police officers but did not offer specifics on how he would raise the funds.

[38] He sought to garner additional media attention with his "Rahm tax" attacks, but to little avail.

[43] The campaign's communications director claimed that controversy over Emanuel's eligibility to run for mayor may have diverted the focus of the press away from the other candidates.

[45] From June 2011 through January 2015, Chico served as chair of the Illinois State Board of Education.

[46] Chico was nominated by Governor Pat Quinn to be chairman of the Illinois State Board of Education in June 2011.

[47] His confirmation was delayed as a result of questions regarding his ties to the Save-A-Life Foundation, a failed charity that was undergoing investigation by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office.

[51] In the end, he received the second-highest support among hispanic voters of any candidate in the first round, placing behind Susana Mendoza.