F. Leon Herron was a World War II veteran, author, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend, mentor, and former chief executive officer for one of the best-known companies in the world. He led a life dedicated to serving others through a unique blend of personable and authentic leadership. He learned and listened to others and helped those around him succeed. Le Herron displayed what being a leader is all about.
Le Herron
Le Herron and his wife Elizabeth moved to Marysville in 1965. During his career, he laid a foundation of leadership based on a sense of trust, identity, and ownership among associates. He helped them develop and share the story of their company’s values, ideals, history, and personality, and he encouraged a spirit that led to greater individual and corporate excellence. As a leader, he decided to invest in his people, to build partnerships, and knew that the right people could make all the difference between success and failure. He took on challenges as opportunities to grow. Le Herron fostered the mindset of putting people first, and those people helped him stand out not just in the board room but also in the community.
By building a sense of community and individual pride in his associates, he helped steer his company through turbulent times and come out better than ever. Le Herron believes that local business should play a part in growing the community closer, he believes in getting folks invested in places they live, and he believes in helping others make a difference. In retirement, he’s remained a mentor to many of the people that have fostered the growth of Union County. He’s passed a torch of leadership from one generation to the next, and now with creating the Le Herron Rising Leader Award, that culture of authentic leadership gets transitioned on to the next generation.