SOLON– Larry Meister was chosen as this year’s Solon Beef Days Cornerstone Grand Marshal of the 2021 celebration. The recognition is awarded based upon involvement in community activities making a positive impact on the Solon community and surrounding area.
Family Background / Highlights: Meister and his wife Delores have lived in the Solon area for the past 56 years. Their two children, Brad and Julie, live nearby in North Liberty.
Business / Career Highlights: Meister’s distinguished career with the Solon Community School District began in 1962 after earning a B.A. from the University of Iowa, followed by two years in the Armed Forces and earning his M.A. in Education at the University of Iowa. He also earned an Educational Specialist Degree. He served as Solon High School principal for 35 years and it is a testament of his legacy to education in the Solon community.
Meister’s time as an educator and principal in Solon were marked with honors and recognition along the way including: Iowa Association for Counseling and Development Outstanding Administrator of the Year 1989; Brain Injury Association of Iowa Outstanding Educator of East Central Group 1997; and Iowa High School Athletic Association School Administrator’s Award 1999.
Meister also served on education committees including Iowa Department of Education on the Regional Telecommunications Council and the University of Iowa College of Education Field Advisory Committee. He was the PA announcer of Solon Spartan Football for 20 years. Being the “voice of Solon” was a lot of fun, allowing him to show the students and community members another side of the principal.
While making an impact on students in the Solon School district and betterment of the education field, Meister also has a servant’s heart leading him to service on several boards and commissions in the area.
Meister is a founding member of the Vislisel Family Foundation offering four-year scholarships to Solon graduates and is also a founding member of the Solon Area Community Foundation (SACF) where he served 40 years a president. SACF provides support for major projects to better the community and the Solon area. He continues to serve on the boards currently.
Retirement in 1999 did not mean it was time to slow down for Meister, rather it allowed him to volunteer time and focus on supporting the senior citizen population in Solon and Johnson County.
Meister served six years on the Livable Community for Successful Aging and continues to serve on the Solon Senior Advocates Board of Directors which focuses on promoting the health and well-being of Solon’s senior population. As a member of Our Lord’s Church, in Solon, he enjoyed helping with the weekend soup ministry and free Thanksgiving and Christmas meals.