River Forest Township's next leader will be chosen from a field of three candidates when the Township Board votes on Tuesday, August 11. The $49,382-a-year supervisor post opens when John Becvar resigns. He has announced his departure but has not confirmed an exact date.
The board interviewed the three candidates in closed session on Tuesday, July 21, Wednesday Journal reported. The paper obtained all applications through a public records request after Becvar declined to identify the finalists publicly.
The three candidates
Mark Hosty, the current township clerk, brings the deepest local government resume. Hosty served 16 years on the Forest Park Village Council from 1999 to 2015 and owned the longtime Madison Street tavern Healy's West Side for 25 years before it closed in 2020. He grew up in Oak Park and moved to River Forest about 10 years ago. The board appointed him clerk in November 2025 after Margaret Detmer resigned.
In his letter of interest, published by Wednesday Journal on July 23, Hosty wrote that his seven months working alongside Becvar made him "uniquely qualified to serve as the next township supervisor."
Hosty has also been active in Republican politics, serving as a delegate to three Republican National Conventions (2008, 2020, and 2024) and on the Illinois Republican State Central Committee representing the 7th Congressional District from 2018 until earlier in 2026. He also works as a real estate broker.
Former Township Assessor Pam Kende, who resigned her post in June, told Wednesday Journal in May that Hosty had been "a calming and efficient force" as clerk.
Vanessa Druckman served as township clerk from 2021 until she resigned in 2023. She holds an MBA from Fordham University and previously worked as a consultant for American Express and director of loyalty marketing for WebMD. She has worked as marketing and development manager for the Wonder Works Children's Museum in Oak Park since November 2021.
In her application letter, Druckman said she understands the role's responsibilities from her time as clerk. Former board member Karen Taubman called Druckman an "exemplary" clerk in comments to the Journal.
Jessica Iverson is the founder of J Iverson Communications, a firm she launched in 2018 after serving as global head of brand and communications for trading firm DRW. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and previously worked in communications for Walgreens Boots Alliance and the state of Wisconsin. She served on the River Forest Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Committee and attended the township board's July 14 meeting to observe.
In her letter of interest, Iverson said she is equipped to manage the township's fiscal governance and public outreach, noting that her youngest child starts kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary this fall.
What the job entails
The supervisor is the highest office in township government, presiding over the board and serving as chief executive. Though classified as part-time, the role demands at least 1,000 hours annually. Becvar has said he typically works about 30 hours a week.
River Forest Township represents roughly 1% of a resident's property tax bill and funds senior services, mental health programs, youth and family services, and assessor services, according to Wednesday Journal's reporting. About 80% of township taxes levied go directly to resident programs. The township operates from the second floor of the River Forest Community Center at 8020 Madison St. with six part-time employees.
What's next
The Township Board will select Becvar's successor at its Tuesday, August 11 meeting. Available records do not show a public comment period scheduled before the vote.
