Senator William N. Plymat View All Years

WILLIAM N. PLYMAT, SR.

William N. Plymat, Sr. was born on July 3, 1911, in Mankato, Minnesota, and passed away on October 20, 1995, at the age of 82. His parents were Judge Walter A. and Ida Robel Plymat. He married Ruth Clubb in 1940. They were parents to two children, William, Jr. and Amy, both of Des Moines. He was a loving husband and father.

Mr. Plymat graduated from Mankato High School, received his Bachelors degree from Stanford University, and got his law degree from the University of Minnesota. He moved to Des Moines where he practiced law from 1937 to 1941, taught business law at Drake University, and was the Iowa District OPA during World War II. In 1947, he was one of three founders of Preferred Risk Insurance Company, a firm that would only issue automobile insurance to non-drinkers. Preferred Risk is now a $300 million-a-year company. During his career, he held top executive positions at Preferred Risk, including serving as President for nine years and Chairman of the Board of Directors for 11 years, before retiring in 1977.

Mr. Plymat served as a board member of Midwest Mutual Insurance Company and American Businessmen’s Research Foundation. He was President of the Iowa and American Councils on Alcohol Problems, Executive Director of the American Council on Alcoholism, Chairman of the International Council of Parliamentarians, and a member of the Iowa Commission on Substance Abuse. In addition he was a member of the National Safety Council’s Committee on Alcohol and Drugs, and the Governor’s Task Force on Drunken Driving, as well as the Kiwanis Club, Des Moines Advertising Club, and Polk County and Iowa Bar Associations. He was a member of the Methodist Church.

Senator Plymat’s political career began in 1968, when he ran for nomination to the U.S. Senate. In 1970 he ran for nomination to the U. S. House of Representatives. In 1972 he was elected to the Iowa Senate in District 30 of Polk County and served in the 65th and 66th General Assemblies. Senator Plymat retired in 1976 after serving four years in the Iowa State Legislature.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE SEVENTY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable William N. Plymat, the State has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and that the Senate by this Resolution, expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

O. GENE MADDOX, Chair

ELAINE SZYMONIAK

MARY E. KRAMER

Committee