Mark Schwiebert
Encyclopedia
Mark William Schwiebert (born August 2, 1950) was Mayor
of the City of Rock Island, Illinois
from May 1989 until May 2009. Prior to his election as Rock Island Mayor, Schwiebert served the people of his City as an attorney and City Councilman since the mid-1970s. Rock Island is one of five cities located in the Illinois
/Iowa
Quad Cities
.
to Lloyd A. and Olive E. Schwiebert. He attended Rock Island public schools his whole life graduating from Rock Island High School
in 1968. He was part of many groups and organizations in the High School, including the Science Club, Track Team, Student Government, and the Marching/Concert Band source needed. He graduated from Augustana College
in Rock Island in 1972 receiving his BA
Law source needed. In 1975 he received his JD
from Drake University
in Des Moines, Iowa
and his MA
in 1976 graduating Omicron Delta Kappa
source needed. He married Deborah L. Johnson of Moline in 1987.
In November 1984 the City of Rock Island passed a referendum having City Alderman run for office in individual wards and have staggered elections. In April 1985 Alderman Schwiebert became the first 6th Ward Alderman defeating Rock Island High School English Teacher Earl Strupp by a 2-1 margin. In 1987 Alderman Schwiebert was reelected to a third term in the city council defeating his challenger by a slimmer margin than in 1985. Schwiebert has now made a name for himself as a winner and in 1988 declared his candidacy for Rock Island City Mayor.
He won the February 1989 primary defeating his nearest challenger 43% to 18% of the official vote. In his only contested primary for Mayor Schwiebert was the top vote getter easily defeating four other well known contestants including two Alderman, a County Board Representative, and the City Clerk. He then went on to win the April general election by the largest victory ever achieved by a first term mayor in Rock Island. Defeating 1st Ward Alderman James Kerr 72% to 28% of the vote. He went on to four more overwhelming victories in 1993, 1997, 2001, and 2005 never once falling below 82% of the vote. In September, 2008, he announced that he will not seek reelection in 2009.
It has been rumored for years that the Mayor had intentions for running for U.S. House. In March 2006 when U.S. Representative Lane Evans
announced his retirement Mayor Schwiebert was the second candidate to declare his candidacy to succeed the Congressman. Schwiebert said that due to his close work with the Congressman and his determination to fight to keep the Rock Island Arsenal
open he was among the best choices to succeed Evans. In a series of debates and forums Schwiebert made mention to his great five terms as Mayor stating that the city made progress in re-development and other ecomimic and social issues. However he failed to gain the support needed to secure the Democratic nomination and came a distant third place in the voting.
Throughout his 20 years as Mayor of Rock Island Schwiebert won numerous awards and recognitions. He won the Spiritual Aims Award; Rock Island Noon Jaycees in 1989; Lay Person of the Year; Iowa-Illinois District Kiwanis, 1989; Distinguished Service Awards; Rock Island Jaycees, 1990; Illinois Quad Cities Chamber of Commerece, 1990; fel Paul Harris, Rock Island Rotary, 1992. He is a member of the Illinois and Rock Island County Bar Association
; Quad City Develop Group and the BiState Regional Committee.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the City of Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
from May 1989 until May 2009. Prior to his election as Rock Island Mayor, Schwiebert served the people of his City as an attorney and City Councilman since the mid-1970s. Rock Island is one of five cities located in the 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,...
/Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
.
Background
Schwiebert was born in Moline, IllinoisMoline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
to Lloyd A. and Olive E. Schwiebert. He attended Rock Island public schools his whole life graduating from Rock Island High School
Rock Island High School
Rock Island High School, also known as "Rocky", is a public four-year high school located in Rock Island, Illinois, USA. Rocky is within the Rock Island-Milan School District No. 41, and the school colors are crimson and gold.-Technology:...
in 1968. He was part of many groups and organizations in the High School, including the Science Club, Track Team, Student Government, and the Marching/Concert Band source needed. He graduated from Augustana College
Augustana College (Illinois)
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
in Rock Island in 1972 receiving his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Law source needed. In 1975 he received his JD
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Drake University
Drake University
Drake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
and his MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1976 graduating Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa
Omicron Delta Kappa, or ΟΔΚ, also known as The Circle, or more commonly ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300...
source needed. He married Deborah L. Johnson of Moline in 1987.
Political career
Schwiebert first ran for political office when he entered the February Municipal Primary for Rock Island City Council. He won the nomination for one of the three open seats on the City Council. Schwiebert ran a door to door grassroots campaignsource needed. After a month of hard work campaign Schwiebert and his small but well organized staff brought him to victory. He came out of obscurity to becoming one of the largest vote getters in Rock Island History. Out of the three seats up for election he came first place defeating three well known incumbents.In November 1984 the City of Rock Island passed a referendum having City Alderman run for office in individual wards and have staggered elections. In April 1985 Alderman Schwiebert became the first 6th Ward Alderman defeating Rock Island High School English Teacher Earl Strupp by a 2-1 margin. In 1987 Alderman Schwiebert was reelected to a third term in the city council defeating his challenger by a slimmer margin than in 1985. Schwiebert has now made a name for himself as a winner and in 1988 declared his candidacy for Rock Island City Mayor.
He won the February 1989 primary defeating his nearest challenger 43% to 18% of the official vote. In his only contested primary for Mayor Schwiebert was the top vote getter easily defeating four other well known contestants including two Alderman, a County Board Representative, and the City Clerk. He then went on to win the April general election by the largest victory ever achieved by a first term mayor in Rock Island. Defeating 1st Ward Alderman James Kerr 72% to 28% of the vote. He went on to four more overwhelming victories in 1993, 1997, 2001, and 2005 never once falling below 82% of the vote. In September, 2008, he announced that he will not seek reelection in 2009.
It has been rumored for years that the Mayor had intentions for running for U.S. House. In March 2006 when U.S. Representative Lane Evans
Lane Evans
Lane Allen Evans is a former Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1983 until 2007, representing the 17th District of Illinois...
announced his retirement Mayor Schwiebert was the second candidate to declare his candidacy to succeed the Congressman. Schwiebert said that due to his close work with the Congressman and his determination to fight to keep the Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Island Arsenal
The Rock Island Arsenal comprises , located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It lies within the state of Illinois. The island was originally established as a government site in 1816, with...
open he was among the best choices to succeed Evans. In a series of debates and forums Schwiebert made mention to his great five terms as Mayor stating that the city made progress in re-development and other ecomimic and social issues. However he failed to gain the support needed to secure the Democratic nomination and came a distant third place in the voting.
Throughout his 20 years as Mayor of Rock Island Schwiebert won numerous awards and recognitions. He won the Spiritual Aims Award; Rock Island Noon Jaycees in 1989; Lay Person of the Year; Iowa-Illinois District Kiwanis, 1989; Distinguished Service Awards; Rock Island Jaycees, 1990; Illinois Quad Cities Chamber of Commerece, 1990; fel Paul Harris, Rock Island Rotary, 1992. He is a member of the Illinois and Rock Island County Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
; Quad City Develop Group and the BiState Regional Committee.
Electoral history
- April 1981 City Council (three elected)
- Mark Schwiebert 4,647 23%
- Robert Applegate 3,942 20%
- Margery Bensen 3,860 19%
- Vernon Winter 3,290 16%
- Lloyd Peters 2,658 13%
- Tom Darnell 1,693 9%
- April 1985 City Council 6th Ward (one elected)
- Mark Schwiebert 607 65%
- Earl Strupp 333 35%
- April 1987 City Council 6th Ward
- Mark Schwiebert 414 57%
- William Fields 317 43%
- February Primary of 1989 Mayor (Top two winners nominated)
- Mark Schwiebert 2,559 43%
- James Kerr 1,057 18%
- George Skafidas 992 17%
- Vernon Winter 752 13%
- Margery Bensen 593 10%
- April 1989 Mayor
- Mark Schwiebert 5,512 72%
- James Kerr 2,169 28%
- April 1993 Mayor
- Mark Schwiebert 4,555 88%
- Robert Millett 631 12%
- April 1997 Mayor
- Mark Schwiebert 4,278 85%
- John Kammerer 762 15%
- April 2001 Mayor
- Mark Schwiebert 5,220 82%
- Vincent Thomas 1,141 18%
- April 2005 Mayor
- Mark Schwiebert 3,754 85%
- David Kimbell 653 15%
- Special May Primary for U.S. House 2006
- Phil HarePhil HarePhilip G. "Phil" Hare is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
17,011 64% - John Sullivan 7,530 28%
- Mark Schwiebert 1,370 5%
- Micheal Boland 612 2%
- Rob Mellon 98 0%
- Phil Hare
External links
Sources
- Rock Island Argus, 1981–2006
- Who's Who In American Politics, 1997