Bush makes covert visit to Schaumburg

Absent any fanfare, media attention or even WikiLeaks disclosure, former President George W. Bush slipped quickly and quietly into Schaumburg Wednesday to speak at a CareerBuilder.com conference, in similar fashion to his father and former President Bill Clinton in previous years.

The visits of all three former presidents occurred at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center, which also once hosted former First Lady Laura Bush while her husband was still in office, Schaumburg Police Chief Brian Howerton said.

Though Howerton met Bush and shook his hand Wednesday, he couldn't offer details of the visit or the content of his speech. Schaumburg police worked with the Secret Service to prepare for the visit and provide dignitary protection, Howerton said.

Bush's appearance came during an ongoing four-day conference hosted CareerBuilder.com, a Chicago-based online employment company.

“We have our company kickoff this week,” CareerBuilder spokeswoman Jenny Grasz said. “Former President George W. Bush's appearance was part of an ongoing series we have at our organization to provide different perspectives on leadership and influence. Other speakers include former President Bill Clinton, General Colin Powell, former President George H.W. Bush and Jack Welch.”

Schaumburg Renaissance General Manager Lisa Timbo said she could not comment other than to confirm that Bush was on the premises Wednesday.

“This is a private, corporate group in the hotel,” Timbo explained. “It's not a public show. They have a no-publicity clause in their contract.”

Secret Service officials also declined to comment on Bush's visit, saying it's agency policy not to publicly discuss the movements of those it protects.

Though Schaumburg police officers had some on-site duties during the visit, it was mostly Illinois State Police that assisted the Secret Service in escorting Bush to and from the hotel, Howerton said. The requirement of sweeping a location for explosives ahead of time is just the same for a former president as it is for a sitting president, he said.

Though he couldn't speculate on the reasons why, Howerton said the lack of publicity about Bush's visit was quite deliberate.

“He probably preferred to fly under the radar,” he said.