EPCHS Alum In The Spotlight: Tim Kaufmann, Class Of 2008

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — An official with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office is a proud Evergreen Park Community High School alum and credits his EPCHS classes and teachers for helping him become an effective leader.

Tim Kaufmann transferred to EPCHS from an area private high school before his junior year because he wanted “a more personal high school experience” and the chance to become more involved.

He took advantage of the opportunities the school offered immediately, and soon later became the captain of the first-ever boys soccer team the school had ever fielded.

“We only had JV and freshman/sophomore teams that first year,” Kaufmann remembers. “The first day of practice 60 guys showed up to play. Coach Wilson (now Papasideris) is a saint for coaching us through that first season. It was like herding cats. But we slowly came together as a team and made some great strides.

“It was really cool to be a part of something that had never been done before at EPCHS and I was honored to be captain for that inaugural varsity team.”

Also elected vice president of his senior class, Kaufmann said he was “amazed by how advanced the education and facilities” were at EPCHS.

“I had so many passionate and caring teachers, like Mrs. Granata, Mr. Enstrom, Mr. Gallagher, Mrs. Wilson (now Mrs. Papasideris) and Mr. Smith, who made a lasting impact on me,” he said. “The lifelong friendships I made, many of which started as a kid at Southwest Elementary, are what I treasure most about my time at EPCHS.”

But even after graduating from EPCHS, Kaufmann didn’t necessarily foresee a career in law enforcement. After majoring in business at Western Michigan University, Kaufmann worked in sales at a Fortune 500 company, but felt drawn to public service and the desire to help others. Following the career of Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart only intensified that desire.

“(Dart’s) willingness to tackle difficult issues and make immediate, impactful changes to the criminal justice system were so inspiring that I put in an application to join the Cook County Sheriff's Office in 2015,” Kaufmann said.

Once sworn in, Kaufmann began as a correctional officer at the Cook County Jail, where he said he learned “a lot about communicating and how to de-escalate tense situations.”

While working at the jail, he was going to grad school at night and received two master’s degrees, an MBA and Master of Management in Law Enforcement Administration.

He’s now the director of operations and security at the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, where he’s responsible for reviewing and improving all operational and security needs.

“In my 10 years at the CCSO, I’ve been able to work on some really interesting projects,” he said. “Most recently, I helped write and implement our operational plan for securing aspects of the 2024 Democratic National Convention.”

Outside of work, he’s a volunteer with the Sheilah A. Doyle Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides support and assistance to children ages 7-17 whose parent, legal guardian or sibling fell victim to homicide.

“This group is doing extraordinary work to help kids who have gone through unimaginable loss,” he said.

Kaufmann credits his EPCHS experience as soccer captain and class vice president in developing his leadership skills. In particular, it was a senior year field trip to the Chicago Board of Trade that led him to originally seek a career in business and finance.

He interned at the Board of Trade during his college summer breaks.

“Throughout all of these experiences, I found that what I enjoyed most was helping others and giving back to my community, which I believe ultimately led to me working in public service,” he said. “I think it’s important to realize not every career is a linear experience. Sometimes it’s important to explore different interests, which will help you discover what it is you really want to do in life.”

Three years ago, Kaufmann and his wife, Jessica moved from Chicago back to his hometown of Evergreen Park, where the couple are raising their five-month-old child, Timmy, who Kaufmann says is a Future Mustang who will be part of the EPCHS Class of 2042.

“Evergreen Park is such an amazing community with state-of-the-art public schools filled with highly qualified and caring educators,” he said. “I hope more families and fellow alumni continue to move here and take advantage of our phenomenal public schools.

Advice for Current EPCHS Students

“Be a sponge - seek out smart mentors and learn all you can from them. Ask for advice from people you respect and try to listen twice as much as you speak. Get involved in things you’re passionate about and be someone who is always raising your hand to take on a project or a task. I encourage anyone who is interested in a career in law enforcement to reach out to me at Timothy.Kaufmann@ccsheriff.org or visit our website at cookcountysheriffil.gov.
The CCSO is an incredible place to start a meaningful career. We’re currently hiring for lots of great roles for anyone looking to make a difference in our community.”