Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
MERIWETHER, J. Bruce
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. He immediately began work at First National, 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 KRUSE became chairman of the board.
Meriwether built an array of civic involvement beginning with membership in the JAYCEES. He was chairman of the 1970 United Way fund drive; president of the DUBUQUE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE and Dubuque Community Theater; charter president of the GREATER DUBUQUE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; chairman and organizer of the Economic Steering Committee; and chairman of the 1981 University of Dubuque fund raising campaign.
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.