Tom Roeser facts for kids

Thomas F. Roeser (July 23, 1928 – May 29, 2011) was a writer and radio host from Chicago. He was known for his conservative views and broadcast on WLS 890 AM talk radio for many years. He also started an online newspaper called The Chicago Daily Observer. Besides his media work, he was a lecturer, teacher, and a former vice president at the Quaker Oats Company.

Early Life and Learning

Thomas Roeser was born in Evanston, Illinois on July 23, 1928. He went to Saint Juliana elementary school and William Howard Taft High School in Chicago. He earned a degree in English literature from Saint John's University (Minnesota) in Collegeville, Minnesota.

He continued his studies at other universities, including DePaul, Loyola University of Chicago, and Harvard University. He was even a special student, called a John F. Kennedy Fellow, at Harvard. He was also a fellow with the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

Working Life

In 1953, after a short time working in advertising in Chicago, Roeser moved to Minnesota. There, he became the city editor for the Saint Cloud Daily Times newspaper. He also wrote for the Associated Press.

In 1955, he started working for the Minnesota Republican party. He was in charge of their communications, including how they worked with the media and advertising. In 1958, he became the press secretary for a new Republican congressman, Albert H. Quie. The next year, he also worked for Congressman Walter H. Judd, who was a top Republican on the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

When Elmer L. Andersen became the Republican governor of Minnesota in 1960, Roeser was chosen to manage news for the state government. After the governor's term ended, Roeser returned to the Minnesota Republican party. From 1963 to 1964, he was the Director of Communications.

In 1964, he moved back to Chicago to work for The Quaker Oats Company. He started their programs for government relations and community outreach in Chicago and other places where the company had factories.

In 1969, the Nixon administration asked him to join them. He became an assistant to the United States Secretary of Commerce. His job was to start a new federal program to help businesses owned by minority groups. He created the first program of its kind, which is now called the Minority Business Development Agency. In 1970, he felt the administration wasn't serious about the program. He even suggested closing his own agency, which was not a popular idea. He then left that role.

After this, he became the director of public affairs for the Peace Corps. He managed their worldwide communications and advertising. In 1971, The Quaker Oats Company asked him to return, and he became their vice president of government relations.

He was the first corporate lobbyist to be a Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. There, he taught while still working for Quaker Oats. He also became a Woodrow Wilson International Fellow. When he returned to Chicago, he taught at several universities in the evenings. These included the Wharton School of Finance, the Kellogg School, Loyola University, DePaul University, the University of Illinois-Chicago, and Saint John's College, Oxford.

While at Quaker, he also started writing opinion pieces for The Chicago Sun-Times. Later, he wrote for The Chicago Tribune and The Wall Street Journal.

Radio Career

Thomas Roeser started hosting a talk show on WLS-AM radio in Chicago in 1994. He began by filling in for other hosts. In May 1994, he started hosting regularly with Ty Wansley. He retired from radio on May 21, 2011. He was a member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), a union for people in TV and radio.

Writing and Media Appearances

Roeser wrote a book called Father Mac: The Life and Times of Ignatius D. McDermott. McDermott was a co-founder of Chicago's famous Haymarket Center. His opinion columns were published in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, and The Wall Street Journal. He was also the Chicago writer for The Wanderer, which is the oldest national Catholic weekly newspaper in the United States. He also wrote on his own blog.

Besides hosting his radio show, "Political Shootout," he appeared as a commentator on TV shows like The MacNeil-Lehrer NewsHour on PBS and on the BBC. He was often on "Chicago Tonight" on WTTW-TV and on Chicago Public Radio. He was also a guest on "Beyond the Beltway," a TV and radio show.

Teaching Career

Thomas Roeser taught as an adjunct professor (a part-time teacher) at many universities. He taught public policy at the Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania; the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University; Loyola University of Chicago; DePaul University of Chicago; the University of Illinois-Chicago; Roosevelt University of Chicago; and Saint John's College, Oxford University.

Personal Life

Thomas Roeser was married to Lillian Prescott of Chicago from 1959 until his death. They had four children: two sons (Thomas F., Jr. and Michael J.) and two daughters (Mary Catherine Magnor and Jeanne Roeser). They also had 13 grandchildren. In 1988, Pope John Paul II honored him and his wife. They were named Knight and Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which is a Roman Catholic charitable group.

Death

Thomas F. Roeser passed away on Sunday, May 29, 2011, after a short illness. Another talk-show host, Dan Proft, told the Arlington Heights Daily Herald that Roeser died from congestive heart failure.

In March 2013, Thomas F. Roeser was honored after his death. He was added to the William Howard Taft High School Alumni Association Hall of Fame in Chicago, Illinois.