Senator Michael Hastings Contact information

Michael E. Hastings, born on October 6, 1980, is a Democratic member of the Illinois Senate from the 19th Legislative District. The district includes all or parts of Lockport, New Lenox, Mokena, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Frankfort, Frankfort Square, Homer Glen, Joliet, Richton Park, Matteson, Olympia Fields, Country Club Hills, Hazel Crest, and Oak Forest.

Hastings was born and raised in Orland Hills, Illinois as one of six children of Mary and Kyle Hastings. He attended Victor J. Andrew High School where he was an Illinois All-State Football offensive lineman. He served as student government president of Victor J. Andrew High School, and then qualified for an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Hastings earned his Bachelor of Science degree in leadership and management at West Point and played as an offensive lineman on Army’s Division-I football team for four seasons, including the annual Army-Navy rivalry game in Washington D.C. Hastings graduated from West Point in 2003 and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army.

Hastings was at West Point when al-Qaida terrorists attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001. He later served in Iraq, advanced to the rank of captain and served as aide-de-camp to the commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division. He earned a Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone.

In 2008, Hastings joined Johnson & Johnson’s Biosurgery sales division in Chicago serving hospitals, health care facilities and surgeons. Hastings’ public service career began with his election to the Board of Trustees for High School District 230 and then as vice president of the board. Hastings also served as co-chair of the district’s finance and education committees.

Hastings earned a master’s degree in business administration with honors from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and a Juris Doctor degree from John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

In 2012, Hastings was elected to the Illinois State Senate as one of the youngest Senators in state history. He has worked tirelessly to pass countless pieces of legislation that have improved the social and financial status of the State of Illinois. He currently serves as the Chair of the Veterans Affairs committee in addition to sitting on the Licensed Activities and Judiciary committees.