Charles McVean, Memphis philanthropist and businessman, has died

Charles McVean, a businessman known to play a key role in building the Big River Crossing footbridge over the Mississippi and the Peer Power student tutoring program, died Sunday morning.

The death was confirmed by his son Dow McVean. "He died around 1:30 pm this morning in Baptist East with all of his family around him," he said.

The cause are complications in Parkinson's disease, his son wrote in an email. He was 78.

"Father was a energetic, passionate entrepreneur and philanthropist with a passion for education and the city of Memphis," his son wrote.

His son wrote that he preferred the nickname "Charlie" to Charles, and was the founder of McVean Trading & Investments, a company that specializes in trading meat, grains and other goods.

"Charlie McVean had a brilliant, creative and innovative spirit," said US Representative Steve Cohen, D-Memphis in a statement. "He used it for Memphis in public education and amenities."

“The Harahan Bridge's Big River Crossing is an example of his imagination and mach mentality. It's a project that Memphis has forever given to our doorstep. He has helped East High students learn and do We need more Charlie McVeans giving back to make us better. His life has been unique, precious and important. I extend my deep condolences to his wife Kay and his entire family. "

A memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday at 3 p.m. at St. Michael's Catholic Church, 3863 Summer Avenue.

Cattle trade

Charlie McVean's career in business has garnered significant accolades, including being selected for the Memphis City Council's annual Humanitarian Award in 2007 and being accepted into the Society of Entrepreneurs in 2011.

A 2011 profile on The Commercial Appeal states that he graduated from East High School and Vanderbilt University. McVean then took a job as a trader in the grain industry, working for companies in cities like Memphis and New York.

In 1974, he moved back to Memphis and took a job at the brokerage firm Refco, where he focused on the cattle trade and eventually became a director, the 2011 profile said.

"My grandfather was an old cattle dealer and he used to say that when you're in a business like this, you need to know where legitimate business ends and where gambling begins," McVean said at the time. "I've based my career on knowing the difference between the two and making the right decisions for my clients."

In 1986 he founded his own company, McVean Trading & Investments.

The business was focused on raw materials, but over the years McVean also pursued external projects.

In the 1980s, he invested millions of dollars in a concept for an indoor track where ponies were wagered with remote-controlled jockeys. The concept has not won a license. The deal also created significant legal problems for McVean.

He was accused of attempting to bribe a senator in 1987 to vote for a gambling law. After a two-week trial in 1990, the jury was stuck 6-6. The charges were dismissed. At the time, McVean made a brief statement thanking his family, friends, investors, and co-workers for "their unwavering support and trust during the ordeal that has just ended."

In 2010, he described investing millions of dollars in another company: Aerobic Cruiser Hybrid Cycle LLC, a company that made plug-in electric scooters. At the time, he said the bikes could help fight climate change, the obesity epidemic, the foreign trade deficit and a reduced manufacturing base.

"It's fun. It's exercise. But most of all, it's serious transportation," he said.

Great river crossing

Not only did he promote the aerobics cruiser, he was an avid cyclist himself, wrote his son. "He was frustrated with the lack of long stretches in safe places and saw the (Big River Crossing) as a way to get to longer trails."

"Dad only had one speed: wide open. But he really saw the Big River Crossing as a way to boost international tourism through Memphis and create more and better-paying jobs for the Memphis."

McVean presented the Big River Crossing concept at a meeting at his East Memphis home in 2014.

In short, it would be a retrofit of the old Harahan Bridge that carried rail traffic. A pedestrian promenade would run parallel to the trains and connect Memphis and West Memphis.

McVean contributed his own money to the project and helped secure more - the majority of the dollars came from federal grants.

Big River Crossing celebrated its grand opening in 2016. That's what The Commercial Appeal wrote about it at the time.

"City and state officials pondered all of the teamwork and fundraising required to build the boardwalk, but said it would not have happened at all without Charlie McVean."

"Described as 'Force of Nature' and 'Superman of the Big River Crossing', McVean was credited with having the first vision for the future of the bridge and convincing all the actors necessary to make the project a success. He received two standing ovation as he spoke across the bridge and stated that Union Pacific was initially not interested in the idea. "

"'Crowds will be closer than ever to moving freight trains. I didn't dare say that until we complete this project,'" McVean joked.

More: Read the full coverage of the Big River Crossing opening in 2016

The following year, in 2017, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission accused McVean and two other people associated with his company of using fraudulent practices to manipulate the cattle futures markets.

Without admitting or denying any wrongdoing, McVean and the others reached an agreement with the Regulatory Commission and agreed to pay fines of $ 5 million. At the time, the company said the settlement "avoids the need for ongoing discussions and litigation that could have been a significant distraction from McVean's primary goal of serving his customers."

In recent years, McVean has withdrawn from the company but remained chairman emeritus, his son wrote.

Meanwhile, another of McVean's creations continued to flourish in local schools.

Peer power

McVean graduated from East High School in Memphis and supported the school through his Greater East High Foundation. The foundation created and funded Peer Power, a program in which high-performing students tutor other students. The program began at East High in the 2000s, and McVean later expanded it to other schools.

His son wrote that his father was drawing on the experience of his own mother teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Missouri as a child. "Dad was deeply passionate about education, and again he saw education as the only way I could really change Memphis and make the lives of its less fortunate citizens better."

Today, Peer Power trains and employs high performing college students to teach in public school classes and mentor high school students, according to its website.

heritage

His son wrote that his father believed in family, friends, work, education, and Memphis. He was also passionate about the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas and was a member of the Visitors Committee.

McVean leaves behind his wife, Kay McVean, son Dow, daughters Katherine Kaelin, Courtney McVean and Gwen Coffey, 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The investigative reporter Daniel Connolly welcomes tips and comments from the public. Reach out to him at 529-5296, daniel.connolly@commercialappeal.com, or on Twitter at @danielconnolly.

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