Dillan Vancil

Dillan Vancil is the Republican nominee for Illinois's 17th District. He is a former railroad engineer and the founder of the Dame Fine Coffee shop chain in west-central Illinois, and has served on the West Central school board. He won the March 2026 Republican primary over Carroll County Board Chair Julie Bickelhaupt and describes his campaign as focused on small business, energy, and affordability.[1][2][3]

Vancil was born in Illinois and graduated from West-Central High School, according to his questionnaire answers to Tri States Public Radio, which listed his age as 33 as of March 17, 2026.[1][3] According to NPR Illinois, he worked as a railroad engineer before becoming a business owner. He is the founder and CEO of Dame Fine Coffee, a chain of coffee shops in west-central Illinois and eastern Iowa (NPR Illinois reported seven shops in August 2025); the name is an acronym of his family members' first names.[2][3]

Vancil served on the West Central School Board, where he was vice president, and WTTW's voter guide lists that service as 2021 to 2025. He also lists membership on the Eagleview Community Health board and the Monmouth Chamber of Commerce board.[1][3][5] He lives west of Monmouth, Illinois, according to NPR Illinois, and told the outlet he entered the race because he wants to make it easier to start and grow small businesses.[2]

Vancil won the March 17, 2026 Republican primary for the 17th District with 58.4% of the vote over Julie Bickelhaupt (41.6%).[4]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.