Marleen Suarez was born and raised in the cultural and ethnic diversity of East St. Louis and Fairmont City Illinois. She now resides in Collinsville, with her husband of 27 years Dan (Ham) Suarez and their 25-year-old son, Daniel.

As the granddaughter of immigrants, Marleen learned the value of hard work at an early age. As a member of a large extended family she was not only taught to care for herself but to care for those around her. Those lessons have led her to believe that it is not merely enough to recognize a person in need. Marleen believes that we should seek out those persons and do everything in our power to make their world a better place.

Early in life Marleen established her reputation of being a person that gets the job done. At age 21 she earned her securities licenses and was in her mid-twenties when she was named Assistant Vice President of an investment firm. Marleen was clearly on a successful career path. However, the needs of her family took precedence. Following the birth of her son, Daniel, Marleen put her rapidly advancing career on hold to become a full time mother. She quickly established herself as an active involved parent and community servant. During this period of time Marleen not only sat on but chaired several committees and boards affiliated with her church and young Daniel’s school. She spent her free time as a swimming competition judge and working with the poor with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. She continues her public service today by serving on the board of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Southwestern Illinois and is an active member of Southwestern Illinois Democratic Women.

With Daniel enrolled in school full time, Marleen again returned to the financial industry until she returned to college to finish her degree. Always a strong believer in education, Marleen returned to Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville earning a B.S. In Biological Sciences with a specialization in Genetic Engineering. She graduated from St. Louis University Law School in May of 2007. She was one of five students chosen to represent St. Louis University School of Law at the Judicial Clerkship Program co-sponsored by the ABA Judicial Division and the ABA Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. Marleen was also chosen as a finalist for the David Grant Clinic Award for the Class of 2007. This award honors outstanding students who dedicated their last year of law school to the principles of public service, commitment to clients and defending social justice.

Upon graduation from law school, Marleen decided to focus her practice on helping and defending everyday people by representing individuals and small business owners with criminal defense, family matters and civil litigation.

Recognizing a greater opportunity to help people, Marleen has now turned her years of business experience and leadership ability to Springfield and the dysfunction that has beset the State of Illinois. As a candidate for State Representative Marleen brings a fresh face and a simple yet effective vision of what it will take to put Illinois back on a firm footing. She states simply.

"My candidacy will be built on the fundamental belief that working men and women are this area’s greatest asset. We have a tremendous work force here. It is time to move forward with real solutions that will create jobs, stability and security"

This is not merely a convenient political war cry from another professional politician. This is a proven belief that comes from a person who has never held a public office. Marleen and her husband Ham have been successful small business owners for over 16 years. They have built a prosperous business that has created high paying union jobs that provide health benefits and long term security for the employees. They have time and time again reinvested back into the company and work force bringing true economic growth and stability to Southwestern Illinois.

Marleen's vision is not only to focus on job sustainment and growth but also to create opportunities for our future generations through education and training programs and by fighting to ensure educational funding is not cut further.

Marleen is also concerned about protecting our veterans and senior citizens so that they may maintain the standard of living that they have earned. As a child growing up Marleen witnessed the hard work and dedication put forth by the heroes returning from military service. She was deeply moved by the unqualified commitment and the tireless effort that these men and women put forth everyday to ensure that the freedoms and the standard of living that they had fought far would be sustained on the home front. Having heard the stories of sacrifice that her veteran father and her highly decorated WWII uncles had made left an indelible mark on her outlook. That is why she has made the campaign commitment that she will establish and provide regular town hall events throughout her district designed to assist seniors and veterans as they navigate the confusing forms and bureaucracy of the medical, tax and other benefit programs.

Marleen Suarez brings a set of beliefs and values that have not been clouded or compromised by politics and partisanship. Instead she represents the basic needs and desires that the everyday citizen of the State of Illinois so desperately needs again. Together, we can help Marleen in this endeavor by electing her to represent the people of the 112th District in November.