McELROY TRUST LEAVES LEGACY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO STUDENTS

If one reads a regional or local community newspaper anywhere in Northeast Iowa, one will sooner or later read about a worthwhile community project or educational endeavor which has been funded, at least in part, by a grant from the R.J. McElroy Trust.
One might reasonably wonder about this foundation which over the years has done so much good for the communities and children of Northeast Iowa, including those in Allamakee County. Citizens should know about this Waterloo based foundation which is dedicated to the betterment of the lives of the young people in their communities.
Ralph J. McElroy was born in Eau Claire, WI, on March 6, 1910. The product of a broken home, by the age of 13 he had left school to work and help support his mother and two younger sisters. At 17, he started working at an F.W. Woolworth store as a stock boy, and within about a year was an assistant manager.
During this time, he attended night school and earned a certificate which would be equivalent to today's GED. He gained sales and management experience and within five years he was assigned as the manager of a store on the edge of Minneapolis.
Realizing that further promotions within the Woolworth company would be slow in coming, he turned his attention to the radio business, with which he had become familiar while working at a Woolworth store in Cedar Rapids. Hired by WMT Radio in its Waterloo office, McElroy was very successful as an advertising salesman and became extremely popular throughout Northeast Iowa for his "Voice of Iowa" broadcasts from the streets of Waterloo and other communities.
After serving in the Army during World War II, McElroy returned to Waterloo, his "adopted home," determined to start his own radio station. Short on funds, friends he had made in his earlier years in Waterloo were willing to invest in the radio station he hoped to build, and Black Hawk Broadcasting was formed. In November of 1947, KWWL Radio made its first broadcast. McElroy and Black Hawk Broadcasting went on to establish the KWWL television station in 1953 after a long and fierce battle for the FCC operating license with another well known radio station owner in Waterloo.
R. J. McElroy died unexpectedly in Feb., 1965. At the time of his death, Black Hawk Broadcasting owned two television stations, three radio stations and a Waterloo Coca Cola bottling plant. McElroy's focus on Waterloo through his radio and television companies had kept them successful, but as noted in his biography, not as competitive as they could have been. The strength of his personality and a tremendous work ethic had carried him far. It is said, however, that his management style, particularly in his early years, was somewhat less than perfect.
Upon his death, a longtime friend, attorney, and business partner, Robert Buckmaster, became president of Black Hawk Broadcasting. Under his management, the competitiveness of KWWL Television was significantly improved and the value of Black Hawk Broadcasting increased tremendously.
Throughout his years in Waterloo, Ralph McElroy had been active in civic affairs, striving continually to make Waterloo a stronger community and better place to live. He was appreciative of the opportunities the city and its citizens had provided him and strongly desired to give back to the community whatever he could. He remained sensitive about his lack of higher education and he never forgot where he came from. In the words of his biographer, Robert Neymeyer, "He would always remember that poverty and a broken family had denied him the education he needed."
In his will, McElroy allowed for income from his trust, which represented 51% of the Black Hawk Broadcasting Company, to be used to benefit young people. The R.J. McElroy Trust was established in 1965. At the time, the value of Black Hawk Broadcasting was set at four million dollars. Litigation over the estate, negotiations with the IRS, and other matters delayed the first awarding of grants until 1980. By that time, little money remained for the trust. However, four years later, Black Hawk Broadcasting was sold to AFLAC for 45 million dollars.
The proceeds of that sale put thirteen million dollars into the trust. The management of Robert Buckmaster had increased the value of Black Hawk Broadcasting, and in so doing, considerably added to the funds available to fulfill the wishes of his old friend.
Since 1980, nearly 28 million dollars have been disbursed in the 26 counties of Northeast Iowa, all to benefit young people. Initially focused on the funding of scholarships and internships, the Board of Trustees has also adopted an approach which seeks to focus on the root causes of youth problems, and has provided grants to organizations, programs and activities that work to "encourage successful behavior and attitudes, and expand the horizons of young people so that they might more fully reach their potential."
The R.J. McElroy Trust, under the stewardship of the original trustees Robert Buckmaster, Robert A. Young, and Thomas L. Trunnel, current trustees Raleigh D. Buckmaster, Ross D. Christensen, James B. Waterbury and Rick Young, and Executive Director Linda Klinger, has grown into the third largest charitable foundation in Iowa, with approximately 50 million dollars in assets. In 1999 alone, grants totaling nearly 2.8 million dollars were awarded.
Allamakee County communities have been the beneficiary of many grants from the R.J. McElroy Trust. A long list would include recent grants for Lansing's Sports Complex ($15,000), the Harpers Ferry library ($15,000), the playground fund for Saint Patrick's School in Waukon ($5,000), New Albin's sports facility ($5,000), Eastern Allamakee Schools ($20,000), Lansing Lioness Club ($2,500), Waukon Park Board for family aquatic center ($17,000), Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon for educational programs ($30,000), Postville swimming pool renovation ($10,000), Waukon Boy Scout Troop 64 ($2,000), Allamakee County Child Abuse Prevention Program ($5,200) and a grant for environmental education in county schools through the County Conservation Commission.
A four year grant of over $700,000 has been awarded to the Country Heritage Community, a four county community based initiative designed to promote and preserve our Northeast Iowa agricultural heritage. These grants and many, many others have made it possible for the small communities in this county to more easily accomplish projects which benefit the young people, projects which without that support, may not yet have become reality.
The direct grants within the communities are a small part of the overall impact which the trust has on Northeast Iowa's youth. Through scholarships, low interest student loan funds, and a myriad of other educational grants and programs, the R.J. McElroy Trust aids first in the development and growth of young Iowans, and ultimately in the realization of educational dreams of many who, like Ralph McElroy, have tremendous potential, but lack the means to realize that potential through education. R.J. McElroy would obviously be pleased.
In his biography, R.J. McElroy was never presented as a perfect person. As most people do, he had his failings. But, if he was a less than perfect person, he certainly left behind for the young people of Northeast Iowa, an enduring, perfect gift.