Mayor McCowan has been a resident of University Park for 16 years, is married to Cheryl and has three children.

On April 1, 2003 he was elected to a four-year term as Mayor. Mayor McCowan served on the Village Board of Trustees for six years and held numerous appointments, including: the planning commission, chairman of the finance committee and chairman of the community development committee. He is a member of the board of directors at Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet, Illinois. He currently serves as chairman of the Abraham Lincoln National Airport Commission that is comprised of more than 30 municipalities. He is a long-term staunch advocate for the South Suburban Airport, which represents thousands of jobs and financial support for schools. He is a member of the Chicago Area Transportation Study Council of Mayors Executive Committee.

Professionally, he is a partner and Senior Vice President of the Habitat Company that is one of the nations premier residential property management and development companies.

He is a graduate of Tennessee State University, holds a State of Illinois Real Estate License, and is a member of the Chicago Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors.