Upper Iowa University Athletics Hall of Fame
Melvin K. Harms received a B.S. degree from Upper Iowa University in 1948. At UIU, Harms played defensive end on two conference championship football teams under Coach “Doc” Dorman. In 1946, he was captain of the All-Conference team and was on the Little All-American team. In baseball he was an outstanding infielder and hitter with a strong possibility of going professional before sustaining a knee injury. In 1948-1951 he was a high school coach at Rolfe High School in Rolfe, Iowa.
Since 1952, Harms has been in the insurance and real estate business with his brother, Cal, in Sumner, IA. He is involved with a variety of community services which include: President of the Commercial Club, the Community Club, the Rotary Club and St. John’s American Lutheran Church. He has been on the Hillcrest Home Board for ten years and has been the Chamber of the Board for the first seven years of its existence. He has been on the Board of Directors for fifteen years of the First National Bank of Sumner. Harms is also a member of VFW, American Legion and Disabled American Veterans.
