Mayor Chris Koos named Adam Nielsen as the Town of Normal’s 2025 Citizen of the Year at the Town’s annual Appreciation Reception Tuesday.
“Throughout his career, Adam Nielsen represented the Town of Normal, the State of Illinois and national organizations in Washington, D.C. Now, he’s doing the same for people and families living with Alzheimer’s.” says Koos. “He was elected to the Normal Town Council in 2001 and served for 12 years. I honor his commitment to serving our local community. However, today, I recognize Adam as the 2025 Town of Normal Citizen of the Year for his dedication to ending Alzheimer’s and representing people across the country.”
In 2023, Nielsen received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Leaning on his professional experience as a former director of National Legislation & Policy Development for the Illinois Farm Bureau, Nielsen jumped into action and began advocating for the Alzheimer’s Association as a person living with the disease.
“For more than two decades, Adam’s professional career took him to Capitol Hill and Washington, D.C. where he represented the Illinois Farm Bureau. After receiving his diagnosis, he used this experience to the advantage of those passionate about ending Alzheimer’s,” adds Koos. “The diagnosis didn’t stymie Adam. Instead, he began traveling to Springfield and Washington, D.C. to share his story, engage with elected officials and carry important messages to policymakers.”
Currently, Nielsen serves on the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee. The committee provides guidance and recommendations to IDPH about policies, programs and services related to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Committee members focus on initiatives designed to improve awareness, support caregivers, enhance patient care and promote research efforts within the state of Illinois.
“Adam’s commitment to serving on the IDPH advisory committee and as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Association plays a crucial role in shaping public health strategies and responses to Alzheimer’s disease at the state and national level,” says Koos. “So many people benefit from this invaluable work to support research funding and advance bipartisan legislation. Just as he used to be a champion for the Town of Normal, Adam is now a champion for people and families impacted by Alzheimer’s. I commend his work and am proud of his dedication.”
About Nielsen
Nielsen began his professional career as a reporter for radio and television. From 1986 to 1994, he worked at WJBC-AM Radio in Bloomington. From 1994 to 2000, he was a reporter and Bloomington-Normal Bureau Chief for WEEK-TV.
In 2000, he joined the Illinois Farm Bureau as the director of Issue Management. He served in this capacity until 2009 when he was named director of National Legislation & Policy Development. In this role, Nielsen advocated for legislative policies set by the Illinois Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors. He built and maintained relationships with members of the Illinois Congress and their staff, as well as congressional committees and federal agencies in Washington, D.C. He retired from the Illinois Farm Bureau in 2023.
During his time as a councilmember for the Town of Normal, Nielsen helped lead the effort to redevelop the Town’s central business district, now known as Uptown Normal. This revitalization effort added the Children’s Discovery Museum, a new City Hall and a multi-modal transportation center to Uptown Normal, creating a vibrant, micro-urban city featuring world-class entertainment venues, an eclectic mix of dining and retail establishments and premier lodging and housing options.
Throughout his career, Nielsen gave back to the community in a variety of roles, including serving on the board of directors for the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Passionate about alleviating hunger, Nielsen regularly volunteers at organizations dedicated to providing to others: Eastern Illinois Foodbank, Midwest Food Bank, State Farm Million Meal Pack, Safe Harbor Shelter and Back to School Alliance. Quarterly, Nielsen can be found scooping ice cream at Westminster Village and the McLean County Nursing Home.
In addition to his current role as an ambassador with the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, Nielsen is a member of both the Young Men’s Club and Normal Rotary service organizations.
