Martin J. Oberman

Early life and education

Oberman's grandfather, Harry W. Oberman (March 25, 1888 – October 2, 1945), was born in Russia and immigrated to the United States in 1906. Harry moved to Springfield, Illinois, where he married Oberman's grandmother Ida Oberman (nee Graonick) on June 20, 1909, and opened a grocery store.

Oberman's father, M. D. "Mush" Oberman, born Morris Davis Oberman, married Oberman's mother, Sophia Oberman (nee Friedman), on October 8, 1939. M. D. was active in Springfield community affairs, as well as being a supporter and organizer in the Republican Party. Both Oberman's father and his grandfather were active in their local Jewish community, especially within the B'nai Abraham and B'nai B'rith synagogues.

At the age of 13, Martin Oberman was appointed as a page in the United States House of Representatives. Aside from the Capitol Page School, he attended Springfield's Butler Grade School, Springfield High School, and graduated valedictorian from Culver Military Academy in 1962.

Oberman graduated from Yale University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts. During his time at Yale, he was a member of the freshman football team. He then attended the University of Wisconsin Law School, where he was a notes editor for the Wisconsin Law Review. He graduated in 1969 with a Juris Doctor and Order of the Coif honors.

Public service and politics

Early work

After nearly three years (1969–1972) as a lawyer with the Chicago firm of Leibman, Williams, Bennett, Baird, and Minow, Oberman became General Counsel to the Illinois Racing Board under Anthony Scariano. Oberman investigated and prosecuted various corrupt racing interests in License revocation proceedings for political payoffs, race-fixing and horse drugging.

Chicago City Council

In 1975, Oberman was elected Alderman from Chicago's 43rd Ward. He had an adversarial relationship with the Chicago City Council's political majority. In 1979 and again in 1983, he was reelected as Alderman.

Oberman was a member of the minority independent bloc of aldermen. He had a reputation as a reformer, and kept himself distanced from the city's Democratic machine politics.

Oberman, along with fellow independent alderman Dick Simpson, was one of only two aldermen to vote against the resolution appointing Michael Anthony Bilandic to hold the mayoralty after Richard J. Daley's death in office.

From 1983 to 1986, Marty supported Mayor Harold Washington, Chicago's first African American mayor in the era of the Council Wars. He had been a supporter of Washington's mayoral candidacy.

Subsequent career

After leaving the City Council, Oberman was appointed Chairman of the Shore Protection Commission, which was tasked with doing a complete rehabilitation of Chicago's shoreline to ensure environmental protection.

Oberman ran for Illinois Attorney General in 1982 (in which he was not on the ballot), 1986, and again in 1994. He did not win any of these campaigns.

In September 2014, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel named Oberman to the board of Metra, Chicago's commuter rail system. He took his seat in November. On February 11, 2014, the board unanimously voted to make him Metra chairman, a position he held until November 1, 2016. His term at Metra was plagued with problems, including late trains and train breakdowns, among other issues. https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/metra-chicago-suburbs-see-few-concerns-addressed-in-merger-decision/

On July 5, 2018, President Donald Trump announced he was seeking to appoint Oberman to the Democratic vacancy on the United States Surface Transportation Board. He was confirmed for the vacancy on January 3, 2019, by a voice vote in the United States Senate. In January 2019, he began a five-year term on the Surface Transportation Board. In January 2021, he was named Chairman of the Board by President Biden.

In the 2019 Chicago mayoral election, Oberman endorsed Lori Lightfoot, publicly declaring his support of her candidacy in advance of the first round of the election.

Surface Transportation Board (STB)

He was confirmed for the vacancy on January 3, 2019, by a voice vote in the United States Senate. Following Joe Biden's inauguration as president in 2021, Oberman was chosen to serve as chair of the STB.

Oberman retired in May 2024.

Family life

Oberman lives in Chicago with his wife, Bonnie Oberman, who was the Chicago Director of Facing History and Ourselves.

References

References

1. "Surface Transportation Board".
2. "President Biden Designates Robert E. Primus as STB Chairman".
3. "Surface Transportation Board".
4. (9 February 2014). "Metra board poised to name new chairman".
5. (29 November 2022). "Lake Forest resident retiring from Metra board".
6. Wanek-Libman, Mischa. (2018-07-06). "Oberman nominated for STB slot".
7. "Board Members".
8. (October 2, 1945). "Illinois State Journal VOL. 114: OFFERS PLAN TO END STRIKE". Illinois State Journal.
9. (June 21, 1909). "The Illinois State Journal VOL. 78: LEADING INCIDENTS IN CHINESE MISSION MURDER". The Illinois State Journal.
10. (October 9, 1939). "Illinois State Journal VOL. 108: SOVIET-GERMAN PACT TO BE PUSHED". Illinois State Journal.
11. (November 6, 1963). "Illinois State Journal VOL. 132, NO. 303: SOVIETS LET CONVOY PASS". Illinois State Journal.
12. (September 5, 1948). "Illinois State Journal and Register: SETS WORLD SPEED RECORD". Illinois State Journal and Register.
13. (June 10, 1948). "Illinois State Journal VOL. 117: SENATE DEBATES DRAFT BILL". Illinois State Journal.
14. (January 8, 1959). "Illinois State Journal VOL. 128, NO. 49: POWELL WINS ON GOP SHIFT". Illinois State Journal.
15. (May 24, 1962). "Illinois State Journal VOL. 131, NO. 164: CARPENTER READY TO ORBIT". Illinois State Journal.
16. Alsene, Ed. (October 5, 1962). "Illinois State Journal VO. 131, NO. 276: Quotes And Notes". Illinois State Journal.
17. (20 November 2023). "Surface Transportation Board Chair Martin J. Oberman to Step Down".
18. (11 February 2014). "Former alderman picked as new Metra chairman".
19. "Martin J. Oberman, Chairman, Surface Transportation Board".
20. ABC30. "Metra elects new board chairman Martin Oberman, expects delays Tuesday {{!}} ABC30 Fresno {{!}} abc30.com".
21. (2014-09-05). "Critic dubs Metra's $1.3M tab for Clifford exit 'indefensible'".
22. (February 20, 2019). "Former Clerk David Orr, Former Alds. Dick Simpson and Marty Oberman, endorse Lightfoot".
23. (2021-01-21). "President Biden Designates Martin Oberman as Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board » Freight Rail Customer Alliance".
24. (2024-05-10). "STB Chairman Martin J. Oberman Retires".
25. [http://www.facinghistory.org/news/community-conversation-with-marco-williams Community Conversation with Marco Williams. Facing History and Ourselves]