Fred C. (Bud) Tucker Jr.

(Oct. 25, 1918-Dec. 10, 1994). Born and raised in Indianapolis, Fred (Bud) Tucker Jr.’s father F. C. Tucker Sr. founded the eponymous Indianapolis real estate company in 1918. Tucker Jr. attended DePauw University where he served as fraternity president of the university’s chapter of Delta Tau Delta. He graduated in 1940. Shortly thereafter, during World War II, Tucker Jr. served in the U.S. Navy. After the war, in 1947, Tucker Jr. joined his father’s company. He and three friends purchased the company upon Tucker Sr.’s death in 1958.

Tucker Jr.’s intrepid drive reshaped downtown Indianapolis. In 1967, he convinced investors to finance the construction of the Hilton Hotel at Monument Circle. He then spearheaded the development of Merchants Plaza. That same year the Indianapolis Real Estate Board and the Indiana Real Estate Association elected him as their president, and in 1971, he became president of the National Association of Real Estate Boards.

In the early 1970s, Tucker worked with Mayor Richard G. Lugar on a project for the Indiana Pacers. It resulted in the construction of the $32 million Market Square Arena. The F. C. Tucker Company, Indiana National Bank, and the City of Indianapolis funded the project. Upon completion in 1974, the F. C. Tucker Company emerged with a 30 percent ownership of the professional basketball team. Three years later, Tucker Jr. helped to organize a live telethon on WTTV to attract 8,000 season ticket holders to keep the cash-strapped Pacers in Indianapolis.

In addition to his work in real estate and as an Indianapolis civic leader, Tucker Jr. was elected national president of Delta Tau Delta fraternity in 1974. He also served as chairman of the DePauw University Board of Trustees.

Tucker Jr. worked well into his 80s. He continued to invest in downtown development, notably the redevelopment of the Canterbury Hotel in 1982. He retired as CEO and president of the F. C. Tucker Company in 1986 after his son F.C. Tucker III and two others purchased the firm. Tucker Jr. remained as president of Tucker Investment Company, a subsidiary of the F. C. Tucker Company.

Tucker continued to garner accolades after he sold his company. In 1986 the Northwood Institute honored him with an award for outstanding business leadership.

Tucker’s legacy remains in the company he built and in the city whose landscape continues to benefit from his bold projects. The F. C. Tucker Company remains the largest independent real estate firm in Indiana and is ranked as one of the largest in the nation. Each year an employee is awarded the “Bud Tucker Volunteer of the Year Award” in honor of its former leader.

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