Merritt Speidel
1879-1960.Press-Citizen publisher and founder of a 13-dailies chain merged with Gannett during 1977, moved to Iowa City after buying the newspaper in 1921, establishing a record of public service, as well as builder of the downtown art deco classic as the Press-Citizen plant. A native of Port Jervis in southwestern New York, he published a high school paper, worked as reporter and editor, then purchased the Piqua (Ohio) Daily Call in 1910. After Iowa City, he moved in 1937 to Palo Alto, Calif., settling into public service, including appointment by President Truman to help study governmental reorganization.