Leonard Firestone: Difference between revisions
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===Charity=== |
===Charity=== |
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Firestone was a contributor to charities and served as president of the trustees of the [[University of Southern California]] and president of the World Affairs Council of L.A. He was a board member of several organisations |
Firestone was a contributor to charities and served as president of the trustees of the [[University of Southern California]] and president of the World Affairs Council of L.A. He was a board member of several organisations. |
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Firestone took a particluar interest in charities associated with [[alcohol]] abuse, and was cofounder of the [[Betty Ford Centre]]. He was also director of the National Council of Alcoholism and also the Eisenhower Medical Center. Firestone also served on the Advisory Board of the ABC Recovery Center and was a major contributor to the expansion at the ABC Center <ref>http://www.abcrecovery.com/awardofmerit/default.asp</ref>. |
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==Personal life== |
==Personal life== |
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Revision as of 12:27, 22 October 2006
Leonard Kimball Firestone (born 1907; died Pebble Beach, California on 24 December, 1996), was a business man, diplomatic ambassador and philanthropist.
Biography
The son of Firestone founder Harvey Firestone, Leonard was educated at The Hill School, and graduated from at Princeton University in 1931, where he was active in golf and polo.
He was employed on graduation by the family company in sales positions by Firestone Tire & Rubber Co., founded by his father in Akron, Ohio. In 1935, he was appointed sales manager and in 1939 became a director of Firestone. He was named president of Firestone Aviation Products Co. in 1941.
He was commissioned in the United States Navy as a lieutenant, but was assigned to inactive status to become president of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. of California in 1943. He retired as president of Firestone's California operations in 1970 [1].
Diplomat
Firestone was appointed U.S. ambassador to Belgium by President Richard Nixon in 1974, and was reappointed by President Gerald Ford, serving until 1976.
Wine
Inspired by a 10-year local weather study, Firestone and two neighboring ranchers developed vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley, California in 1972. His son Brooks decided to abandon his corporate life at the London headquarters of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company and relocate his family to the Santa Ynez Valley. Brooks said at the time: "I am the classic executive dropout. I spent 12 years in the tire business, and I finally decided my soul wasn’t there." [2]. The vine yard served as the basis for the major development as California as a global source of wine.
Charity
Firestone was a contributor to charities and served as president of the trustees of the University of Southern California and president of the World Affairs Council of L.A. He was a board member of several organisations.
Firestone took a particluar interest in charities associated with alcohol abuse, and was cofounder of the Betty Ford Centre. He was also director of the National Council of Alcoholism and also the Eisenhower Medical Center. Firestone also served on the Advisory Board of the ABC Recovery Center and was a major contributor to the expansion at the ABC Center [3].
Personal life
In 1932, he married Polly Curtis, by whom he had three children. Polly died in 1965 of cancer. He then married Caroline Hudson Firestone.
His two marriages produced three children: sons A. Brooks (graduated Princeton 1958, a member of the California State Assembly) and Kimball; and daughter Lendy Brown.
References
External links
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