Jerome Cortez

As a student at Andrew High School, Jerome Cortez may not have imagined that his future would include helping design armored military vehicle platforms for Navistar. As Vehicle Chief Engineer, he led a team responsible for creating vehicles that protected military personnel from roadside bombs and attacks and contributed to several U.S. patents that improved safety, cost efficiency, and environmental impact across the global trucking industry. Beyond his professional achievements, Jerome was most passionate about his family and community. He played a key role in establishing the Tinley Park Bulldogs Youth Lacrosse program and took great pride in coaching young athletes. His dedication helped inspire the creation of the Andrew Boys and Sandburg Girls Lacrosse programs, which launched in 2017. Jerome’s legacy of hard work, passion, and service lives on through his wife, Cathy, their three children Jordan, Lauren and Hayden and a large circle of family and friends.