Waid Robert Vanderpoel (May 19, 1922 – August 25, 2003) was an American financier and conservationist born in the neighborhood of Norwood Park, Chicago, Illinois. With a degree in finance, Vanderpoel was a notable financier throughout his career. He died in Barrington, Illinois.
Personal life and education
Waid Vanderpoel was born and raised in Norwood Park, a northwest Chicago neighborhood, to Helen and Robert Vanderpoel. His father 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".Memorable-Quotes.com Vanderpoel was also the nephew of noted painter John Vanderpoel.
He 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.Illinois General Assembly Senate Resolution SR0299 online 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.
Career
In 1946, Vanderpoel joined the First National Bank of Chicago (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 the bank grow domestically and abroad, as offices were added in London, Tokyo, and Beijing.History of Bank One (FundingUniverse.com) He also became known as an international expert on the effects of inflation in the global economy.Inflation Tops Americans' Worry Lists Boca Raton News - Oct 8, 1972Proposal Spurs Mixed Views from Economists The Day - Aug 17,1971Idaho Power Rate Boost Called Vital The Spokesman Review - Oct 23, 1969 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.
Conservation efforts After retiring from the bank, Vanderpoel devoted much of his time to land conservation and prairie restoration. He volunteered time with Citizens for Conservation, a Chicago-area organization with a mission of saving living space for living things.Citizens for Conservation Official Website He eventually becoming the organization's two-time president; he helped it acquire over of land for preservation and restoration,Chicago Wilderness Magazine - Fall 2001 and helped save numerous plant and animal species from extirpation.Lawrence Journal-WorldChicago Wilderness Magazine - Spring 1999 He received national attention for directing Citizens for Conservation's efforts, and for his ability to lead successful negotiations and bridge the gap between business and environmental concerns.Seattle TimesUSA Weekend - Jun 15, 2003St. Petersburg Times
Rock gardening Vanderpoel was also a widely recognized rock gardener, dedicating much of his property in Barrington to the craft. He was a member of the North American Rock Garden Society, and co-authored a 1996 book entitled Handbook on Troughs.Amazon.com
Awards and honors Financial Analyst of the Year award from the Financial Analyst Society, for his work with George Romney in developing legislation concerning tax relief for stock dividendsCitizens for Conservation Newsletter - Fall 2003 Recipient of the Barrington, Illinois citizen of the year award, 1993 Tom and Waid Vanderpoel both named Barrington, IL Citizen of the Year Honored by the Illinois General Assembly with Senate Resolution SR0299Illinois General Assembly - SR0299
Works Handbook on Troughs, Waid Vanderpoel, Gwen Kelaidis, et al., North American Rock Garden Society, 1996,
References
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