As the newly appointed village trustee, Denice Bocek admits she’s still getting up to speed on village projects but plans to contribute her professional expertise whenever she can – which the mayor said was a main reason he chose her.
“I am hoping to utilize my real estate development skills to push forward more economic development with my contacts, and even helping the developers along in any way,” said Bocek, who was seated on the Village Board Oct. 2 after her appointment was approved by village trustees.
She succeeds Gregory Pike who recently moved to Lake Forest.
A 27-year resident of the village, Bocek has served on village commissions and plans to seek reelection in April 2025. Though Pike was reelected to his seat in the municipal election earlier this year, village officials explained that, by law, Bocek would have to run in the next election for the remainder of the unexpired term.
In an interview with Pioneer Press, Bocek offered a glimpse of the work she’s prepared to do as trustee.
“We have a really robust local economy and a diverse community,” Bocek said. “Our community cares, they care about their neighbors, we also have a fiscally responsible board and village staff. I honestly look forward to being able to have the opportunity to serve our community.”
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Bocek was previously on the Planning and Zoning Commission from 2000 to 2012. During her time on that commission, now-Village President Eric Smith was the chair. Familiar with her work, Smith reached out to Bocek for the appointment to the Village Board.
“Denice has an outstanding history of public service, and we are lucky to have her expertise on the board as we continue to make Buffalo Grove the best it can be,” Smith said in a statement to Pioneer Press.
In addition to her work as secretary and vice chair of the Planning Commission, Bocek as also been on the Sign Code and Appearance Review committees, and the Lake Cook Corridor discussions. She explained that she has also worked with village staff to review and update the village’s animal ordinance which dictates minimum care standards for animals. She is active with animal welfare nonprofit organizations locally and nationally.
Professionally, Bocek has been in commercial real estate development and construction for over 30 years, she said. In 2004, she started her own company, Retail Solutions LLC, a boutique real estate consulting firm that focuses on the management of retail store rollout with a specialty in mixed-use developments – many which are underway in Buffalo Grove.
“There’s a great deal of momentum with The Clove and the Bob Rohrman property,” Bocek said of the mixed-use redevelopments currently planned for the village. “The Clove helps to add more residential and a different type of product than what we usually have to keep some of our younger people in our village, but also, it’s a gathering place for us.”
She said she is also excited about some of the new dining options planned in the village.
“For a long time, we tried to get more restaurants in our village and this is a great opportunity for us to do that,” she said. “It gives our residents more variety of places to eat at and also brings people from other communities to our village to gather and enjoy our community.”
She is looking to build on momentum the town and Village Board have already established, she said.
“The current board is really amazing with all of the different things that they’ve started – the branding initiative and even the strategic planning to ensure that in the future, we are serving our community with whatever their needs might be,” she said.
Bocek and her husband of 24 years, David Lobocki, an IT consultant, have lived in the village for almost three decades, the new trustee explained.
Elizabeth Owens-Schiele is a freelancer.