Dubuque County Historical Society Appoints Rev. Dr. Jeffery Bullock as President and Chief Executive Officer
DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Dubuque County Historical Society and its properties, the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and Mathias Ham Historic Site, have announced that Dr. Jeffrey Bullock has been appointed president and chief executive officer and will succeed Kurt Strand, who will be retiring in early 2027.
Bullock joins the Dubuque County Historical Society and is currently serving as a higher education consultant for The Registry, and since 2025 as interim president and CEO of the Fetzer Institute (Foundation), Kalamazoo, Michigan.
“I am tremendously excited about the announcement that Dr. Jeffrey Bullock will be the next president and CEO of the Dubuque County Historical Society and the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium,” said Francis A. “Chip” Murray, board chair. “Three of my favorite qualities in a leader are integrity, humility and empathy. Jeffrey has an abundance of all three. He leads with genuine care for people, a deep sense of purpose and a quiet confidence that inspires those around him. I have no doubt these qualities will serve Jeffrey, our employees and the organization exceptionally well in the years ahead.”
Prior to his recent positions, Bullock served as the 11th president of the University of Dubuque from 1998 until 2024, becoming the longest-serving president in the institution’s history. During his 26-year presidency, in partnership with his colleagues, he led a comprehensive transformation of the university, strengthening and adding to its academic programs, expanding enrollment and philanthropy, developing innovative approaches to character and leadership education, and overseeing nearly $300 million in investment in 45 new campus facilities, while also growing the endowment to become the second-largest private college endowment in Iowa.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be called to serve as the next president and CEO of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium,” Bullock said. “This backyard feature of Dubuque is more than an internationally recognized natural resource. It is a place where nature, history, community and human imagination come together. It has shaped our region and our nation, and it continues to teach us something about who we are and the responsibilities we have in living — together.
“As I come into this new role, I have extraordinary respect for Kurt Strand and his tremendously impactful leadership for nearly a decade, and for the immensely committed leadership team of professionals and volunteers who have carefully stewarded this amazing community resource for over a quarter-century. From founding to building; from growing to maintaining; from navigating through the pandemic and now through this time of fading federal and local support, I greatly admire their collective efforts and leadership.”
Bullock concluded, “I look forward to an intensive time of listening and learning, all while continuing to build on the NMRMA’s already healthy organizational culture. And through that time of listening and learning, I hope to cultivate a collective sense of place and wonder that is always the beginning of learning, and that will translate into even deeper commitments of philanthropic support to the benefit of the next generations’ commitment to and stewardship of this very special part of God’s beautiful creation.”
Bullock will join DCHS Jan. 4, 2027. Strand will remain in his role as president and CEO through 2026 and will continue with the historical society until Jan. 31, 2027, to assist with the leadership handoff and ensure organizational continuity.