Anita Kontoh Scott Named 2012 Bolingbrook Female Citizen of the Year

Anita Kontoh Scott has been named the 2012 Female Citizen of the Year. 

Each year, one man, one woman and one family are recognized by the village. 

Scott, an attorney, is a 1992 graduate of who launched her private practice in Bolingbrook in 2000. 

She is a founder of the Black History Awareness Club. The immediate past president of the Bolingbrook Rotary Club. Charter member of the Will County Black Bar Association and member of the Bolingbrook Chamber of Commerce. 

She volunteers her services to aid the DuPage County NAACP and is a newly-installed commissioner for the Bolingbrook Police Pension Board. 

The following remarks were read when Scott was recognized in a village board meeting last month: 

"Raised in the era of the Cosby Show, Anita Kontoh Scott idolized the character Claire Huxtable who as a lawyer, loving mother and philanthropic figure embodied all the traits Anita was determined to possess. 

Driven to succeed, Anita's focus on excellence carried over into the classroom. Upon graduation from Bolingbrook High School in 1992, Anita had earned a 3.98 GPA on a 4.0 scale. 

Although attending college was the goal, Anita realized senior year that she knew little about a college search. 

Therefore she decided to handle her search systematically. 

She went to the library and checked out Baron's Book of Colleges with the intent of applying to each and every one. 

Anita started with an application to Adrian, a private liberal arts college in Michigan, which was the first entry listed in the book. 

It didn't take long for the school to respond and Anita found herself in the enviable position of being heavily recruited. 

Seduced by the student to teacher ratio, beautiful campus and compleeing financial aid package, Anita was sold and four years later in 1996 she graduated with dual degrees in criminal justice and business administration. 

Well-acquainted with the Constitution and convinced that law was her calling Anita accepted a three-year fellowship at highly-ranked Indiana University, which led to her juris doctorate in May of 1999. 

Harboring a passion to "right the world by fixing its ills and bringing balance," Anita voraciously studied for the bar exam, was notified she had passed in October in 1999 and was sworn in as a lawyer the following month in November. 

On the fast track to become a civil rights lawyer, Anita's plans took an unexpected detour after learning the internship she had secured would be unpaid. 

With bills to be paid, Anita made the monumental decision to hang out a shingle in 2000. 

Understanding that there was a market in Bolingbrook, Anita bartered for space in the Bolingbrook Commons located off Route 53 and I-55. 

Relying on instinct and a desire to represent the underserved, Anita quickly gained loyal, sizeable clientele.

A mere eight years after launching her pricate practice, Anita purchased land and built the Diamond Creek Office Complex located at 260 South Schmidt Road. 

Today, the successful entrepreneur wears many hats. 

Her most revered role is that of a mother. 

In addition, she is founder of the Black History Awareness Club. The immediate past president of the Bolingbrook Rotary Club. Charter member of the Will County Black Bar Association and member of the Bolingbrook Chamber of Commerce. 

A game changer volunteering her services to aid the DuPage County NAACP and a newly-installed commissioner for the Bolingbrook Police Pension Board. 

Anita is known to all as a down-to-earth, level-headed, warm and friendly person who is often prone to erupt into fits of giggles. 

In constant motion, she honors her Ghanian roots and remains humbled by the grace of God who guides her steps and continues to propel her forward on the path of life."