Dr. John Eidam served his state and nation and the community in which he lived. John was most interested in the welfare of farmers and by using his keen business sense, helped farmers’ cooperatives strengthen their capital structure and improve their management. John also organized over 20 credit unions and served as president of the Nebraska Credit Union League and the Credit Union National Association.
I suppose that nearly everyone here this evening knows personally the man we are honoring. Because he is a man of significant stature, we know him for different reasons and we recognize in him in different qualities. But regardless of our connection with this man, I know that all of us genuinely like him.
John Eidam is the kind of man that we are proud to call our friend. His accomplishments have brought him a large measure of prestige. Yet John is as down-to-earth and as easy to talk with, and to get acquainted with, as any man I have ever known. I am sure we can give his farm-rearing in Didge County a major share of the credit for his friendly temperament and for his love of people.
When John retired about a year ago as President of the Omaha Bank for Cooperatives, some of his colleagues described him as "a Nebraska farm boy who grew to become a national leader in agricultural banking and cooperative endeavor . . . a banker whose greatest interest was in people rather than in money . . . a man of vision who could see over the next hill."
We should explain that John hasn't really retired. He is presently quite active as an agricultural consultant, with principal interest in legal and financial matters involving cooperatives.
My own acquaintance with John began nearly 20 years ago. I knew him first through his work with the Nebraska Grain Improvement Association – which he served as a director and member of the executive committee – and later I came to work with him very closely as a member of our College of Agriculture Advisory Council. He gave us very generous and knowledgeable service throughout his term in the Council.
Secretary of Agriculture Clifford Harden, when he was Chancellor of the University, also knew John as a member of our Advisory Council and in his other responsibilities. When we informed the Secretary that John was to be honored by the Nebraska Hall this year, he offered a little tribute of his own.
"John richly deserves this recognition," he wrote. "He gave wise and valued leadership to the . . . Council. He is a man of vision and courage, one who can recognize opportunities and who can convert those opportunities into better conditions for the agricultural industry . . . John has made a significant contribution in building a stronger agriculture and a better America for tomorrow."
Secretary Hardin himself was our honoree last year. Several other honorees from past years are here with us tonight and have been introduced. So, you can see, John, that you are joining a rather select group as you accept this year's award.
As part of our presentation in past years, we traditionally have reviewed some of the highlights of our honoree's career. We trust you will permit us to do this in your case.
We won't reveal any secrets. A man who has held as many offices as John, and who has garnered as many honors, really doesn't have many secrets. But because his life has been so interesting, let's review some excerpts from the Summer (1969) issue of Credit News and from the citation that accompanied a public service award given him by the Nebraska Agribusiness Club in 1967.
John was raised with cooperatives. While growing up in dodge County, he often climbed into a buggy with older brother Clarence to attend organizational meetings for new cooperatives.
After graduating from Fremont High School in 1922, John went to work for the Chicago & North Western Railroad. His career in railroading continued over the next eight years.
In 1924 he became a legal clerk for the Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha and it was then that he decided to pursue a law degree. Another stepping-stone to his success came in 1926 when he married his high school sweetheart, Marie Wislicen.
You have met Mrs. Eidam during the earlier introduction, but let's ask her to stand again, together with the Edam's daughters and their families. The daughters are Marilyn (now Mrs. Harris Graves) of Waterloo, Nebraska, who is here tonight with her husband Dr. Graves and their two sons John and Steve – and Mrs. Nancy Williams of Omaha who is here with her sons Jeff and David, and her daughter Lisa.
During the early years of the Eidam's marriage, John spent many evenings over law books and in attending classes at the University of Omaha Law School. In 1929 he was admitted to the Nebraska Bar and left the railroad to go into private practice. But times were tough. The stock market break of 1929 followed by the depression of the early 30's didn't make it easy for a young attorney. In 1933, John accepted a position on the legal staff of the Federal Land Bank, and thus began his career with the Farm Credit Banks of Omaha. In 1934, when the Omaha Bank for Cooperatives opened its doors to farmer cooperatives, it was natural that John should become the first attorney for the Bank. He drew up the papers for the first loan made by the Bank – a loan to the Council Bluffs Grape Growers Association.
As attorney for the Bank, John became widely known as an authority on cooperative articles and by-laws and was instrumental in organizing many local cooperatives in the District. His knowledge of cooperative law made him a vital part of the management team of the Bank and he was named general attorney in 1947.
In 1948 he left to become director of public relations and assistant general manager of Westcentral Cooperative Grain Company of Omaha. While at Westcentral he reorganized the capital structure of the company. And over the years he has assisted in the reorganization of many local cooperatives to provide a stronger capital structure for their continuance in business.
John's interest in people and in finance led him into credit union work. In 1949 he was elected president of the Nebraska Credit Union League and the same year he became president of the worldwide Credit Union National Association. He has assisted in the organization of some 20 credit unions.
In 1955 the Omaha Farm Credit Board asked John to return to the Bank for Cooperatives as president. He accepted the position as a challenge to improve credit service to cooperatives. The service has been significant, as demonstrated by the fact that the Bank now brings nearly 150 million dollars a year from financial centers to be used in agricultural production in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
John has given other notable service to agriculture. Several years ago, for example, he lobbied a bill through the Legislature to provide for a constitutional amendment so that grain could be handled without confiscatory taxes on inventories. The constitution was subsequently amended to authorize the legislature to provide a more equitable tax structure. This was strong encouragement for the grain industry to remain in Nebraska.
John is an internationally recognized authority on credit. In 1962 he headed a mission to Argentina for a three-month study of agricultural credit needs in that country. From this study came recommendations for a revised credit system for Argentina.
People and institutions have expressed great confidence in and appreciation for John Eidam's talents and accomplishments. In addition to some of the other honors we have already mentioned, he has received the University of Omaha's (now the University of Nebraska at Omaha) highest non-academic award, the Order of the Tower, for aiding in the growth of the University.
More recently his alma mater awarded him the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence.
One of his awards cites his ". . . unfailing dedication to improve the lot of farmers everywhere."
He holds the Federal Land Bank Golden Anniversary Medallion for service to agriculture. This fall he was named vice-chairman of the Nebraska Committee on Public Relations for Agriculture.
We will forego a listing of additional offices he has held, but I want to recognize that they include service to a hospital and to his church.
John, I have appreciated the opportunity to make this presentation in behalf of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement. By selecting you as our 1970 honoree, the stature of the Hall itself has grown. I am sure I speak for everyone here in offering you our sincere congratulations.
