Get to know the soon-to-be President-Elect of our Rotary Club. A retired attorney and active Rotarian; Mr. Gallagher has worn many hats in the Cedar Valley community and beyond!
E.J. Gallagher III was born in Washington D.C. and came back with his Iowan parents to Waterloo in June of 1950. He graduated from Columbus High School after kindergarten at Kingsley and grades one to 8 at St. Edward’s. He got an undergraduate degree from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul followed by a law degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. He was admitted to practice law in Iowa in 1974 and spent a year back in Washington D.C. working for a special Federal commission studying wiretapping law.
He started practice with the law firm that later became Gallagher, Langlas & Gallagher in June 1975, and practiced law in Waterloo through February 2015 when he retired. His practice was focused on matters that were or could be tried in state or federal courts. E.J. was a member of several legal groups during his practice from the state to national level and served on the board and eventually became President of the Iowa Association for Justice.
He became a Rotarian early in 1976 and has been a member of our club since then. He has served as board member of our club and as club board secretary. Over the years he has enjoyed working on service projects the club did including moving the library books, the train ride, Shoebox, Koats for Kids, and Hops & Grapes.
E.J. has also served on local and statewide boards for several non-profits over the years and do so at the present time. Locally he now serves on the Winnebago Council BSA, Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony and Grout Museum boards (along with other organizations). He has also been active in his church and served on its parish council and social concerns committee. He has been active in political groups for many years and served as a political party county chair for six years and on district committees. This being Iowa, political participation is both more intense and interesting every four years.
E.J. has two adult children, a son Joseph who lives in Waterloo and is a UNI graduate and a daughter Gail Gallagher who is married to Sam Stacklin. Gail obtained a theater degree from the University of Nebraska and lives in Chicago and is active in theater in acting, directing, play writing, teaching and musical accompaniment. She also does improv keyboard accompaniment and song writing and performances both live and on the internet.