Waid Vanderpoel
Encyclopedia
Waid Richard Vanderpoel (May 19, 1922 – August 25, 2003) was an American
financier
and conservationist born in the Chicago
neighborhood of Norwood Park
, Illinois
and died in Barrington, Illinois
.
neighborhood, to Helen and Robert Vanderpoel. His father, Robert, was a well-respected financial journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times
who coined the phrase "the most successful businessman is the man who holds onto the old just as long as it is good, and grabs the new just as soon as it is better". Waid attended Schurz High School, graduating near the top of his class in 1939. Upon graduation, he attended Grinnell College
, from which he graduated in 1943 with a degree in finance. After school, Vanderpoel was drafted into the Army
, serving from 1943 to 1945 as a Corporal
in World War II
in France
and central Europe.. He met Ruth Silbermann in 1947 and they married later that year. Over the next decade, they had five sons- John, Tom, William, James, and Mark.
(now a part of JPMorgan Chase) as an investment portfolio manager, eventually working his way to Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer. During his tenure as an executive, he was instrumental in helping First National Bank of Chicago grow domestically and abroad, as offices were added in London, Tokyo, and Beijing. He also gained notoriety as an international expert on the effects of inflation in the global economy. He quickly became one of the preeminent voices in finance, widely quoted in national periodicals, resulting in an award from the Financial Analyst Society for his work with Governor George Romney
on tax relief for stock dividends.
and prairie restoration. He volunteered time with Citizens for Conservation, a Chicago-area organization with a mission of saving living space for living things. Eventually becoming a two-time president of Citizens for Conservation, Vanderpoel helped the organization acquire over 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land for preservation and restoration, and helped saved numerous plant and animal species from extirpation
.
He received national attention for directing his organization's successful efforts and his ability to leverage his business savvy to lead successful negotiations and bridge the gap between business and environmental factions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
and conservationist born in the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
neighborhood of Norwood Park
Norwood Park, Chicago
Norwood Park is one of 77 well-defined Chicago, Illinois community areas. It encompasses the smaller neighborhoods of Big Oaks, Norwood Park East, Norwood Park West, Old Norwood Park, Oriole Park, and Union Ridge....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and died in Barrington, Illinois
Barrington, Illinois
Barrington is a suburban village in Cook County, Illinois and Lake County, Illinois. The population was 10,327 at the 2010 census. Located approximately northwest of Chicago, the area features wetlands, forest preserves, parks and horse trails in a country-suburban setting...
.
Personal Life and Education
Waid Vanderpoel was born and raised in Norwood Park, a northwest ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
neighborhood, to Helen and Robert Vanderpoel. His father, Robert, was a well-respected financial journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
who coined the phrase "the most successful businessman is the man who holds onto the old just as long as it is good, and grabs the new just as soon as it is better". Waid attended Schurz High School, graduating near the top of his class in 1939. Upon graduation, he attended Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
, from which he graduated in 1943 with a degree in finance. After school, Vanderpoel was drafted into the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, serving from 1943 to 1945 as a Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and central Europe.. He met Ruth Silbermann in 1947 and they married later that year. Over the next decade, they had five sons- John, Tom, William, James, and Mark.
Career
In 1946 Vanderpoel joined the First National Bank of ChicagoFirst Chicago Bank
First Chicago Bank was a Chicago-based retail and commercial bank tracing its roots back to 1863. Over the years, the bank operated under several names including The First National Bank of Chicago and First Chicago NBD...
(now a part of JPMorgan Chase) as an investment portfolio manager, eventually working his way to Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer. During his tenure as an executive, he was instrumental in helping First National Bank of Chicago grow domestically and abroad, as offices were added in London, Tokyo, and Beijing. He also gained notoriety as an international expert on the effects of inflation in the global economy. He quickly became one of the preeminent voices in finance, widely quoted in national periodicals, resulting in an award from the Financial Analyst Society for his work with Governor George Romney
George W. Romney
George Wilcken Romney was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962, the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973...
on tax relief for stock dividends.
Conservation Efforts
After retirement from the bank, Vanderpoel devoted much of his time to land conservationConservation movement
The conservation movement, also known as nature conservation, is a political, environmental and a social movement that seeks to protect natural resources including animal, fungus and plant species as well as their habitat for the future....
and prairie restoration. He volunteered time with Citizens for Conservation, a Chicago-area organization with a mission of saving living space for living things. Eventually becoming a two-time president of Citizens for Conservation, Vanderpoel helped the organization acquire over 1200 acres (4.9 km²) of land for preservation and restoration, and helped saved numerous plant and animal species from extirpation
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
.
He received national attention for directing his organization's successful efforts and his ability to leverage his business savvy to lead successful negotiations and bridge the gap between business and environmental factions.
Rock Gardening
Vanderpoel was also a widely recognized rock gardener, dedicating much of his 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) Barrington, IL property to the craft. He was a member of the North American Rock Garden Society, and co-authored a 1996 book entitled Handbook on Troughs.Awards and honors
- Financial Analyst of the Year award from the Financial Analyst Society for his work with George RomneyGeorge W. RomneyGeorge Wilcken Romney was an American businessman and Republican Party politician. He was chairman and CEO of American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962, the 43rd Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969, and the United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1969 to 1973...
for developing legislation concerning tax relief for stock dividends. - Recipient of the Barrington, IL citizen of the year award, 1993
- Honored by the Illinois General Assembly with Senate Resolution SR0299.
Works
- Handbook on Troughs, Waid Vanderpoel, Gwen Kelaidis, et al., North American Rock Garden Society, 1996, ISBN 0-9675093-0-0
External links
- Illinois General Assembly Senate Resolution SR0299
- USA Today's Weekend Magazine - June 2003
- St. Petersburg Times - Aug 3, 1992; Sears Moves from Vertical to Horizontal
- Waid Vanderpoel helps save 1000 acres of forest
- Nature, Commerce Achieve Balance At New Sears Park
- Chicago Wilderness Magazine - Fall 2001; Waid and Tom Vanderpoel: Restorers of Lost Lands
- Chicago Wilderness Magazine - Spring 1999; Citizens and Sandhills
- Lawrence Journal-World - Jun 15, 2003; The People Who Save Precious Wildflowers
- Citizens for Conservation Official Website
- North American Rock Garden Society Official Website