Chris has been in office a long time and that experience is just what Normal needs right now. Chris knows the community. He understands our local government. Chris has the leadership and expertise to continue promoting stability, and guiding and growing Normal through economic development.
About Chris
Born and raised in Bloomington, Chris Koos is the middle child of five. He attended Central Catholic High School and delivered newspapers for The Pantagraph. As a Boy Scout, Chris developed a love of the outdoors. Very early on, he also discovered a love for riding his bicycle.
Chris feels a deep sense of responsibility toward his community—to the neighbors he’s grown up alongside and the new neighbors he regularly welcomes to Normal.
At 76, a bicycle is still his preferred mode of transportation to and from work, though Chris now rides to City Hall instead of tossing newspapers onto doorsteps.
Chris, a Veteran
In 1968, while attending Illinois State University, Chris received a life-changing phone call asking him to leave school to report for duty. Drafted into the United States Army just five days before his twentieth birthday, Chris left home for the first and only time and reported for basic training in Missouri. One year later, he celebrated his twenty-first birthday as an officer candidate. He ended his tenure with the Army as a First Lieutenant. And most recently, Chris was awarded Distinguished Member of the 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division by the Secretary of The Army.
In late August 1970, Chris set foot in Vietnam. He was an infantry platoon leader, assuming command following the Battle of Firebase Ripcord. He and his fellow soldiers worked in the mountains along the A Shầu Valley, once remaining in the field for fourteen weeks straight to work reconnaissance missions for their division.
As a leader, Chris’s job was to keep his people safe and alive.
The time Chris spent in Vietnam changed him forever. He often reflects on his service, the lives lost, and the scenes he witnessed. Chris uses his experience as a Vietnam veteran to inform his service as Mayor of Normal. He does not take the weighty responsibility of leadership lightly.
Chris, a Small Business Owner
Shortly after Chris left the military, he decided to further pursue his interest in cycling. He started working at Vitesse Cycle Shop in 1978, when the store was owned by four partners. One by one, Chris bought out each of the partners and by 1992, Chris was the sole owner of Vitesse. In 1995, Chris capitalized upon an opportunity to relocate the store from its original location next to Pub II, to its current home on Linden St.
Chris views his bike shop as a community staple. He works tirelessly to serve the cycling and running communities in and around Normal—sponsoring races and clubs, and was instrumental in establishing and expanding the Constitution Trail.
As a small business owner of nearly forty years, Chris knows firsthand the value of hard work. He is constantly learning and evolving to meet the demands of an ever-changing consumer. He knows that to be successful, he has to pitch in at all levels from top to bottom. Chris understands finances and how to make ends meet. He knows the stress of looming potential failures. Chris knows how important it is to support employees, and how challenging it can be to provide for them.
Chris, Mayor of Normal
Chris was first elected to office in 2001 when he ran for Town Council. He won with the most votes in a field of six candidates. Two years later, Chris was appointed by the Town Council to fill the mayor’s position when then Mayor Karraker resigned. Since then, he has worked diligently to serve the people of Normal.
As mayor, Chris has transformed Normal into a thriving, forward-thinking community.
Through strategic economic development, he has attracted billions of dollars in investment from the state and federal government, created 10,000+ new jobs, and introduced new business and recreational opportunities to Normal residents.
Chris successfully revitalized Uptown Normal, turning a once-sleepy downtown into a nationally recognized model of urban planning — featured in textbooks and awarded for its innovative design.
Uptown Normal is now a vibrant community hub with a strong sense of place, often buzzing with festivals and events through the Children’s Discovery Museum. Combined with the dynamic collection of new businesses that have relocated to Uptown Normal under his leadership, it is the cornerstone of this community. Learn more about Chris’s vision for the future of Uptown Normal.
Throughout his time as mayor, Chris has strengthened infrastructure and transportation by partnering with state and federal leaders to develop the high-speed rail corridor and expand the Constitution Trail. His economic development efforts have brought major employers to Normal, including Brandt, a leading Canadian agricultural manufacturer that chose Normal for its first and only North American facility. Perhaps the most noteworthy new business is Rivian: Normal is home to one of the leading automotive manufacturers in this country — a feat that would have been impossible without Mayor Koos at the negotiating table during early conversations with RJ Scaringe. Additionally, he created a business environment that supports innovation from hospitals, restaurants, stores, hotels, insurance providers, and tertiary businesses to support manufacturing in our town.
Most importantly, Chris has cultivated a very strong network of connections that support his day-to-day work as Mayor.
His interactions with leaders both in- and out-of-state have grown Normal’s reputation and recognizability around the world (fun fact: Publications as far-reaching as Australia and Finland have featured Normal as an aspirational community). As a result of his vast network, Chris has been able to attract support to and formulate solutions for the betterment of Normal. For example, the Town of Normal is consistently awarded state and federal grants because of Chris’s proven track record: he delivers on his promises with high-quality project outcomes and efficiently deploys taxpayer resources.
When re-elected, Chris will remain focused on growth, resilience, and ensuring Normal is always a place where families and businesses thrive.