DUBUQUE, Iowa — The Dubuque County Historical Society announced on Oct. 16, 2026, that Dr. Jeffrey Bullock will become its next president and chief executive officer, bringing a familiar face in Dubuque leadership back to a prominent local institution.

Outgoing President and CEO Kurt Strand introduced Bullock as his successor during an announcement at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium. The museum is among the properties operated by the Historical Society.

Bullock is scheduled to join the organization on Jan. 4, 2027. Strand will remain in his role through January to work alongside Bullock during the handoff, a period intended to keep operations steady while leadership changes.

Many Dubuque residents will recognize Bullock from his long tenure at the University of Dubuque. He served as the university’s 11th president from 1998 until 2024, a span that made him the longest-serving president in the school’s history. During that period, the university announced plans for a school of osteopathic medicine, among other expansions.

The Historical Society oversees the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium and its related properties, making the presidency one of the more visible nonprofit leadership posts in the Dubuque area. The organization did not announce additional details about priorities for Bullock’s tenure as part of the Oct. 16 announcement. Those plans remain pending.

Strand’s departure date beyond January was not specified in the announcement, nor was any change to the organization’s staffing or programming connected to the transition.

Bullock’s appointment gives the Historical Society a leader with deep ties to Dubuque’s education and civic life. His decades at the University of Dubuque included work with donors, community partners, and regional institutions, relationships that overlap in many cases with the museum’s own supporters and visitors.

The museum draws visitors from across the tri-state area and serves as a riverfront anchor in Dubuque’s Port of Dubuque district. Leadership continuity through the January overlap is intended to carry that work forward without interruption as Bullock takes over.

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