RHOMBERG, Thomas

RHOMBERG, Thomas (Father). (Dubuque, IA- ). Recipient, FIRST CITIZEN AWARD in 1974. As president of the non-profit Ecumenical Housing Inc., Father Rhomberg fought a long and successful fight promoting the construction of ECUMENICAL TOWER, a 110-apartment building in downtown Dubuque. Grandson of the founder of the DUBUQUE STAR BREWING COMPANY, Father Rhomberg graduated from LORAS COLLEGE and attended the University of Iowa law school only one semester before deciding to become a priest.

Ordained in 1953, Father Rhomberg taught social science at Loras on his way to being appointed director of Catholic Charities for the ARCHDIOCESE OF DUBUQUE. He served as a delegate on the board of the National Conference of Catholic Charities and represented Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas on issues affecting social legislation in Washington, D.C. Until July 1974, he was a member of the Iowa Crime Commission and chaired the corrections committee that directed $350,000 toward the construction of the Dubuque County-City Law Enforcement Center.

Father Rhomberg's activity in other civic organizations included the advisory boards of Operation New View and Area Residential Care and membership in the Iowa Conference of Catholic Charities and the Iowa Welfare Association. He was a delegate to the 1960 White House Conference for Youth and Children, the White House Conference for the Aged in 1961, and in 1966 to the Iowa Study Committee on long-range child welfare needs.

In addition to Ecumenical Towers, Father Rhomberg served on the fund-raising committee for the Dubuque YM-YWCA Community Center. He directed the development of Carter Plaza, an eight-unit apartment building sponsored by Catholic charities and constructed in 1970 for moderate-income families. Father Rhomberg also directed the construction of the 73-unit apartment Kennedy Manor sponsored by Ecumenical Housing Inc.