MERIWETHER, J. Bruce

J. Bruce Meriwether

MERIWETHER, J. Bruce. (Taylorville, IL,- ). President, FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF DUBUQUE. Meriwether was annually ranked among the most influential people in the City of Dubuque. His personal involvement in the community was credited for pulling Dubuque out of it economic slump in the late 1970s.

Meriwether came to Dubuque after being recruited for the UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE basketball team by university president Gaylord M. COUCHMAN. Meriwether became the team captain and graduated with a degree in business administration. In 1960 he began work at FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF DUBUQUE employment he maintained except for a period between 1967 and 1968 when he left the bank to open an advertising agency. By 1980 he had become president of First National when William G. KRUSE became chairman of the board. Meriwether retired in 1995 as president of HAWKEYE BANK OF DUBUQUE as it was being sold to Mercantile Bancorporation Inc. but remained as board chairman. (1)

In 1977 while a senior vice-president at First National, Meriwether, by then a former Chamber of Commerce president, was among those considered as a Republican candidate to challenge MICHAEL Blouin, the Second District Congressman. Meriwether had served as the chief fund-raiser for Thomas TAUKE.(2)

Meriwether built an array of civic involvement beginning with membership in the JAYCEES. He was chairman of the 1970 United Way fund drive. As president of the DUBUQUE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE in 1976 he launched Project SOS) Support Our System) designed to remove growing skepticism in the American economic system, a leadership training seminar, an analysis of the Dubuque area economy and active support of Dubuque area highways and roads. (3) He was president of the Dubuque Community Theater; chairman and organizer of the Economic Steering Committee which he suggested should be configured; charter president of the GREATER DUBUQUE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION which he envisioned; and chairman of the 1981 University of Dubuque fund raising campaign.

As chairman of the Economic Steering Committee, Meriwether in 1984, suggested that to achieve the goals of its $150,000 study by Welton Becket Associates, the committee should be reshaped into a non-profit, development corporation which would coordinate development activities throughout the city. The new group to be called the Dubuque Area Economic Development Corporation eventually became the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation. (4)

In 1996 Meriwether, who served as vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees and member of the board's executive committee since 1988, was named acting president of the university after the sudden departure of John J. AGRIA. (5)

Among projects in which Meriwether took a leadership role was the effort that resulted in construction of the DUBUQUE-WISCONSIN BRIDGE. Working with other business leaders in the community, Meriwether raised $750,000 for the Welton Becket study that, detailing Dubuque's need to diversify its economy, led to the growth of TOURISM. With his help, a financing arrangement was prepared establishing FDL FOODS INC. He received the FIRST CITIZEN AWARD from the TELEGRAPH HERALD in 1993, was a leader of the DUBUQUE COUNCIL FOR DIVERSITY, served as past president of the GREATER DUBUQUE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, and was named honorary chairman of the DUBUQUE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.

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Source:

1. "Meriwether Good Choice," Telegraph Herald (editorial) Telegraph Herald, August 21, 1996, p. 3

2. "3 Dubuquers Among Possible Blouin Rivals," Telegraph Herald, April 28, 1977, p. 1

3. "Dubuque Chamber Launches Plan to Help Business' Image," Telegraph Herald, January 18, 1976, p 23

4. Hendricks, Mike, "Five-Year Action Plan For Dubuque Lists Seven Goals," Telegraph Herald, Telegraph Herald, June 26, 1984, p. 13

5. Krapfl, Mike, "Meriwether Named Acting UD President," Telegraph Herald, August 16, 1996, p. 2