Related Page

 John Jetter and Frieda

John was born and raised "on the farm" in Maquoketa, Iowa, near the Mississippi River.  The day after high school graduation he was on a train to Texas!  He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, from North Texas State University (now University of North Texas.) He met his wife Frieda at North Texas.  They reside in Longview, Texas, and have two grown sons, one daughter-in-law and two grandsons.

A CPA since 1974, he has served in various offices and on various committees of the Texas Society of CPA's and the American Institute of CPA's.  He has authored several articles and practice guides for the profession and served on advisory panels developing specialized accounting software.  His firm served the tax, accounting and business advisory needs of small to medium sized clients with special emphasis toward the manufacturing, health care and service industries.

He sold the accounting practice he had developed over 20 years in 2001.  "Retired," he now manages investments, oil and gas operations, farming and ranching properties, and consults on rural land reclamation by second and third generation heirs.

John is a member of the Rotary Club of Longview (Greggton) joining in July, 1996.  He has served his fellow Rotarians as Club Service Director, Treasurer, and President (2003-2004).  During his term as President the Club increased the net income of its major fund raising project (a rodeo) from $15,000 to $40,000.   In 2005-2006 John served as the President of the Club's fund raising Corporation and the Club pushed the net income up to $53,000.

He has served the Rotarians of District 5830 as the GSE Team leader to District 2520 in northern Japan. In 2001 he was the Tour Director for the SCRYE West Coast trip, a month long bus trip for incoming exchange students covering the highlights of Nevada and California.  He is currently the chair of the District Rotary Foundation Committee.

He has served the Rotarians of Zones 30 & 31 as their Secretary/Treasurer (2014-16) and as an Assistant Rotary Coordinator (2013-15).

John has been a guest speaker at many clubs and District Foundation Seminars.  His presentations cover a wide range of subjects from GSE and Foundation giving to backpacking and travel.  John is one of only 32 people to have visited all 138 state parks in Texas. Currently, he and Frieda are working on visiting all 473 plus parks and historical sites maintained by the U.S. Park Service.  They have visited over 190 to date.

John is the recipient of the Rotary Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service and numerous district and club recognitions.

He is a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, Major Donor, Sustainer, Benefactor, and Bequest Society and Paul Harris Society member of the Rotary Foundation. 

Updated August 1, 2015