Normal’s 2025 Citizen of the Year is a former town council member and retired Illinois Farm Bureau lobbyist, who’s using his own diagnosis to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.
"I don’t know that I deserve this. But, it’s an honor to be standing in front of you this evening and to receive the award," said Adam Nielsen, who was surprised with the recognition at a town appreciation event Tuesday at Illinois State University.
A longtime Normal resident, he was elected to the town council in 2001, serving for more than a decade. He retired as Illinois Farm Bureau’s national legislative and policy development director in 2023.
At Tuesday’s ceremony revealing Nielsen as Citizen of the Year, Normal Mayor Chris Koos described Nielsen’s career as one committed to the local community, but he noted this latest honor reflects Nielsen's current advocacy role.
Koos explained Nielsen's dedication to ending Alzheimer’s and representing people across the country affected by the disease was significant.
"Throughout his career, Adam represented the town of Normal and the state of Illinois. For more than two decades his professional career took him to Capitol Hill and Washington, D.C. , where he represented the Illinois Farm Bureau," said Koos, adding, "Now, he's doing the same thing for people and families living with Alzheimer's."
Not long after his 2023 diagnosis, Nielsen began volunteering with the Alzheimer’s Association. Today, he’s an ambassador to the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, and recently became a member of the Illinois Department of Public Health Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee. The IDPH group raises awareness about the disease, while also supporting caregivers, enhancing patient care and promoting research efforts.
Koos applauded Nielsen's efforts to lean into his professional experience to help others with the illness.
"He jumped into action and began advocating for the Alzheimer's Association, as a person living with the disease," said the mayor. Some people might retreat from public after receiving such a diagnosis, but Nielsen instead began traveling to Springfield and Washington, D.C., to share his story, and engage with policymakers.
"Just as he used to be a champion for the Town of Normal, Adam is now a champion for the people and families impacted by this disease,” Koos said.
Nielsen's wife, Dayna Brown, who is Unit 5 school district’s communications and community relations director, and the couple’s daughter Bekah Nielsen, were at the event attended by about 150 people. Their son, Benjamin Nielsen, who couldn’t attend in person, watched the event live from his home in Mesa, Ariz., via a FaceTime feed.
Upon receiving the citizenship award, Nielsen's off-the-cuff remarks reflected his pleasure in seeing old friends and colleagues gathered among the crowd, and how service is important to him.
“It's important to stand up for your community, however you can," Nielsen said.
"Sometimes you walk door to door, and you ask for people's votes. But there are so many other ways to help a community as well. And I see so many people in this room who are doing that, all the time, and finding ways to serve," he said.
"That's why Normal is a great place — so many great people who are willing to make time to better the life for somebody else. And as long as we keep doing that, we're going to be in pretty good shape," he said.
Career, local volunteer roles a pathway to Alzheimer’s advocacy
In his nearly 25 years at Bloomington-based Illinois Farm Bureau, Nielsen’s work found him connecting with state and federal legislators on behalf of the company’s interests. Prior to that, he spent about 15 years as a journalist, working at Bloomington’s WJBC-AM radio, and later as WEEK-TV’s Twin Cities bureau chief.
Nielsen’s time on the Normal Town Council included helping lead efforts to redevelop Uptown, namely bringing in the Children’s Discovery Museum, and establishing the town’s current city hall and multi-modal transportation center, Uptown Station.
He has spent much of his time in Normal serving on boards, and taking part in community groups. He's a member of the Young Men’s Club and Normal Rotary. He's served on the board of the Bloomington-Normal Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
He also volunteers with the Eastern Illinois Foodbank, Midwest Food Bank, State Farm Million Meal Pack, Safe Harbor Shelter and Back To School Alliance.
With that professional and volunteer background, combined with a desire to continue to make a difference as he faces his own health challenges, Nielsen has kept busy advocating to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease.
Normal’s mayor names a person, or sometimes a couple, Citizen of the Year, to honor the impact they’ve made in the community. Recent past recipients include Sonja Reece, Sonya Mau, Mike Matejka, Dodie Dunson, and Earl Kingman.
