Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN
Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
TELECONNECT
TELECONNECT. Perhaps students at Cedar Rapids’ Franklin Junior High School in the mid 1970s might have paid more attention to their math teacher if they’d known he’d soon become a telecommunications pioneer who’d use futuristic fiber-optic technology to build a coast-to-coast telephone network and accumulate a fortune in the process. But to the students he was simply Mr. McLeod.
A native of Marion, IA, Clark McLeod majored in mathematics at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, receiving his degree in 1968. He taught math and science at that junior high school for four years before joining WMT radio as an engineer in 1972.
In January 1980, McLeod and two associates founded Teleconnect, a small operation that began by re-selling telephone equipment. Despite these humble beginnings, McLeod’s company became one of the fastest growing companies in the nation in less than a decade. McLeod served as CEO and chairman of the company until December 1988 when Teleconnect merged with SoutherNet and became Telecom*USA. This new company soon became the fourth largest long distance company in the nation with nearly 6000 employees. McLeod served as president and vice-chairman until it was sold to MCI in 1990 for $125 billion. McLeod purchased the Teleconnect telephone subsidiary and Telecom*USA Publishing from MCI at that time.
Clark McLeod founded McLeod Inc, later changed to McLeod USA. Inc., in June 1991. Under Clark’s guidance McLeodUSA grew rapidly. At the end of 1999 it was recognized as having the largest market value among all Iowa-based public companies. Along with many other companies in the telecommunications field, McLeod’s went through a rough patch in the early 2000s but through restructuring the company was able to come out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and grow again. McLeod stepped down as CEO in 2001 and Chairman in 2002.
McLeod has continued to be involved in economic development efforts and oversees the McLeod Charitable Foundation.
The 1985 through 1989 Dubuque City Directory listed 140 W. 9th.
The 1993 Dubuque City Directory listed only a telephone number.
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Source:
http://iowabusinesshalloffame.com/inductees/bios/mcleod-clark.html