Founder's Day: Happy Birthday to I.L. 'Tommy' Tucker

We proudly wish I.L. 'Tommy' Tucker a Happy Birthday, this 9Th day of May, 2011. For many who know Tommy, it is just another day in the life of a 39 year-old, though Tommy Tucker shares the same age with Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.

Tommy likely will share the day with his daughter, since his wife has a busy day on the putting green and playing bridge with her girl friends. Talking to Tommy this morning, we were talking about today's news items and the changes going on in the Cedar Rapids community.

Tommy graduated from McKinley High School in Cedar Rapids and attended Coe College, where he met his wife, LaVerne, of 62 years. Tommy was at Great Lakes in the U.S. Navy, when the first bomb was dropped in Japan.

Tommy began in business in 1940s with his father, I.L. 'Irv" Tucker with Tucker Manufacturing Co., Inc. The business remains in service today in Cedar Rapids, sharing the location of Tommy Tucker Realty Co.

In 1955, Tommy left working with his father full-time to begin a career in the Real Estate industry. In 1958, Tommy founded Tommy Tucker Realty Co. In 1964, Tommy joined Irv as a member of Rotary International and continues in membership. He is a Paul Harris Fellow. In 1988, Robin Tucker joined his father Tommy in business. In 1989, Tommy asked Robin, his youngest son, to join Rotary International, as a member of Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids.

Tommy has served the Real Estate industry at a variety of levels, as former President of both the Cedar Rapids Area Association of Realtors and Iowa Association of Realtors. He served the National Association of Realtors, as a regional vice president for five states and as a board member, serving on a variety of committees. He helped in the founding of Real Estate Department at the University of Northern Iowa, among his many accomplishments over the years. Locally, he was a founding commissioner of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commissioner, serving 31 years. He was very active in a variety of community activities over the length of his business career paying his civic rent.

Today, Tommy Tucker Realty Co. serves a variety of residents in the Cedar Rapids area.

• Real Estate Brokerage


• Property Management


• Buying


• Selling


• Leasing


• Like-kind exchanges, such as 1031 exchanges


• Consulting


• Community Advocacy

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January 9, 2009 - We honor the 60th Wedding Anniversary of Tommy & LaVerne Tucker

Every January 9Th, the standing joke between Robin Tucker, now broker/officer of Tommy Tucker Realty Co. with his parents, Tommy and LaVerne Tucker, was a quick happy birthday send off. From 1969-1974, Richard Nixon served as President of the United States.

But, really, January 9Th had much more significance than the birthday of our 37Th President of the United States.

It was January 9, 1949. Tommy and LaVerne Tucker were married in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They had met on a blind date, while both were students at Coe College. Today, January 9, 2009, Tommy and LaVerne Tucker celebrate their 60Th wedding anniversary. They will celebrate the event with a trip to Hawaii this month.

In 1958, Tommy founded Tommy Tucker Realty Co. Tommy Tucker Realty Co. celebrated its 50Th anniversary as a company, last year. Tommy entered the real estate profession in 1955.

LaVerne retired from real estate at the end of 2007.

Tommy Tucker has been recognized by the Cedar Rapids Association of Realtors (CRAAR) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) as a REALTOR® Emeritus. He is a past president of the CRAAR and the Iowa Association of Realtors. He also served as a national vice president of NAR.

The Iowa Realtor Foundation offers the I.L. "Tommy" Tucker Scholarship. Mr. Tucker, along with other Realtors, help establish the University of Northern Iowa Real Estate Education Program.

Today, we sincerely wish our founder, Tommy Tucker, and his wife, a Happy 60Th Wedding Anniversary. Congratulations Dad & Mom! Robin Tucker

Tommy Tucker Realty Co.