A man who helped popularize the term "Quad Cities" has died. His company, Quad City Port Services, says Dick Weeks was 77 years old. He worked for the Iowa Development Commission before he became president of the Quad City Development Group in 1971. He stepped down in 1988 to start his own business.
In the 1980s, John Gardner was the publisher of the Quad City Times, and later replaced Weeks as president of the development group. Gardner says you'd have to tally up all the companies that opened or expanded in the 1970's and 80's to highlight Weeks' accomplishments. "He initiated a significant campaign to promote the Quad Cities as a single market. And helped secure the area as a Foreign Trade Zone."
A jingle with the lyrics, "Quad Cities, you're the place I want to be" was part of the campaign. After Weeks retired, he volunteered for the Service Corps of Retired Executives, known as SCORE, helping entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Cunnick-Collins Mortuary in Davenport.
In 2009, WVIK News produced a story about the Quad City Development Group, featuring Dick Weeks. And you can listen to it on the audio player above and to the right.