William Wilke, CFA, is a
chartered financial analyst
(CFA) who received his
Bachelor of Science degree
in Business Administration
in 1962 and a Master of Science degree in Economics in
1966 while at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Over the
course of his career, he has been a pilot in the U.S. Navy,
chief financial officer for the Farm Credit Bank in Wichita,
Kan., president and chief executive officer of First Federal
Savings Bank of Iowa, chairman of the board of the
Mercantile Bank in Davenport, Iowa, and chief investment
officer at the First National Bank of Lincoln, Neb. Mr. Wilke
serves on several nonprofit boards, including those of
DavenportOne, the Adler Foundation and the River Music
Experience, all in Davenport, Iowa. He was appointed to
the Palmer Board of Trustees in 1998.
Tell us what strengths you bring to the Board?
The particular strengths I bring to the Board are in the areas
of finance, banking, investments and management—all of
which are critical to the success and mission of the College.
Having said that, I must emphasize that I am only one part
of a dynamic team. Each Board member brings their own
particular skills and strengths to the table. We function as
a cohesive body, dedicated to the well-being of Palmer, both
now and in the future. We exist to ensure that we send into
the healthcare field the finest Doctors of Chiropractic in
the world.
What issues in the chiropractic profession
concern you most?
The most significant issue to me is to ensure that chiropractic
is fully integrated into and a vital part of the healthcare
field. The general public must feel confident that chiropractic
is an important and essential part of their overall wellness
program. It follows that Palmer must provide its
students a premier education so that they may become
acknowledged as outstanding healthcare providers. While
our goal is to maintain our position as the number one
chiropractic college in the world, we must work within the
chiropractic education profession to establish standards of
education and care so as to not diminish the public’s trust
of chiropractic.
What is your vision of the three campuses
of Palmer College in 25 years?
While we should always honor our past, we must always
look to the future. My vision for the next 25 years is that we
will continue to be acknowledged as the finest chiropractic
college in the world for our excellence in education and
research. To paraphrase an unknown author, “Do not look
to the past for you will only see where you have been.
Instead, look to the future to see where you are going.”
What are your favorite memories of your
time with Palmer?
Memories are made each and every day in our lives. It is
my hope that there are many great memories yet to come.
It may be more correct to comment on some of my most
pleasing experiences as a Board member thus far. Chief
among these would be working with the Board, observing
the passion our students have for chiropractic, combining
the various campuses into one college and the ongoing
pride and professionalism of our faculty and staff.