Lowell “Bud” Grieves
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Entrepreneur, Politician, Conservationist
Lowell (Bud) Grieves attended college in Philadelphia, earning a business degree before taking a job in the textile industry in Albany, New York. After two and a half years, he returned home to Central Illinois where he entered the brokerage business in 1970 as a registered representative. Bud gradually worked his way up the company, becoming a branch manager and opening several offices.
It wasn’t until the late 1980s that he started his entrepreneurial endeavors. His first investment was the Sully’s building in Peoria which was gutted and turned into Sully’s Bar. After several years, Grieves sold out and bought the Mark Twain Hotel in 1990, buying the Packard building next-door the year after. He later purchased many properties in East Peoria, nearby Banner, and the Spirit of Peoria Riverboat.
After a hard-fought political race, Grieves was elected mayor of Peoria in 1997. His four year term focused on downtown and riverfront development, an area he feels is the heart of Peoria. During his time in office, the city saw the rise of the Gateway Building and completion of the Riverplex recreation center. The lasting effects of his leadership and business ventures can be seen throughout Central Illinois.