Manuel “Manny” Flores is the Alderman of Chicago’s 1st Ward. He was first elected to the Chicago City Council in 2003, and is currently serving his second term.  During his time in office, Flores has distinguished himself as a champion of progressive public policy. He has introduced and passed legislation in the areas of consumer protection, land-use development, banking, healthcare, and government operations and management. Flores is also a leader in promoting clean technology and the green economy. In 2009, he was honored for his work on sustainable development by being inducted into the National Green Museum Chicago Environmental Hall of Fame. He is also a Partner in the Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs initiative, a program under the aegis of the Local Economic and Employment Development Council, designed to expand local green economic development. He holds a law degree from the George Washington University Law School, where he was awarded honors for his clinical work on immigration and human rights litigation in political asylum cases, and he earned his bachelor's degree with honors in political science from Dominican University. Flores resides in the Wicker Park neighborhood in Chicago with his wife, Georgina, and their children Teddy and Sofia.