Edwin Thomas Meredith (born in Avoca, Iowa, December 23, 1876 – June 17, 1928) founder of the Meredith Corporation and was the United States Secretary of Agriculture under President Woodrow Wilson. [1]
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Meredith attended Highland Park College in Des Moines. In 1894 he became the general manager of Farmer's Tribune a Populist newspaper run by his grandfather. Meredith ran the paper from 1896 until 1902. In 1902 Meredith started his own company and began publishing Successful Farming, which had built its subscriber base to 100,000 by 1908. Meredith served as vice president and president of the Agricultural Publishers Association. Because of his successful business, Meredith was named to the board of directors from United States Chamber of Commerce from 1915–1919, and again from 1923–1928. [2][3]
Once a member of the Populists Party he became a Democrat running unsuccessfully for a U.S. Senate seat from Iowa in 1914. In 1916 he ran for the office of Governor for the state of Iowa, again unsuccessfully. President Woodrow Wilson appointed him to the Treasury Department's Advisory Committee on Excess Profits. Meredith was appointed Secretary of Agriculture in 1920. That same year, he ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. [2]
Meredith returned to publishing, buying the Dairy Farmer in 1922. He also started Fruit, Garden, and Home in 1922. that later in 1924 changed its name to the now famous Better Homes and Gardens. Meredith was on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago from 1918–1920. [2][3]
His company, the Meredith Corporation continued after his death.
He is an inductee in the Advertising Hall of Fame. In 2008, Meredith was named by Professional Remodeler magazine as one of the 11 most influential people in the history of remodeling. http://www.housingzone.com/professionalremodeler/article/10-most-influential-remodeling-industry
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| Preceded by David F. Houston |
United States Secretary of Agriculture Served under: Woodrow Wilson February 2, 1920 – March 4, 1921 |
Succeeded by Henry C. Wallace |
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