In February, the Ontario County (NY) Chamber of Commerce presented Leonard’s Express with the “Visionary Investor” Award as part of its annual Business Inspiration Award ceremony. In a press release, the Chamber said, “The Visionary Investor of the Year award honors members that update, modernize, or expand operations while retaining and increasing employment opportunities for our communities. Leonard’s Express’ demonstrated investment in the people of Ontario County, investment in new state-of-the-art warehouse facilities in Shortsville, and charitable commitments to raise awareness of breast cancer and Parkinson’s earned them this honor.”
I attended the event and it struck me when I saw the name of the award, that there’s no better way to describe the Johnson family or Leonard’s Express than as “visionary investors” in our community. Leonard’s Express is an active member in all the communities where we have terminals (Caldwell, Idaho; Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Taylorsville, North Carolina; Wilmington, Delaware; and Farmington, New York), but Ontario County is where the owners grew up, so it’s the company’s true home and the Johnson family takes great pride in giving back to this community.
A recent example, which we are all super-proud of, is our support of the Inclusion in Motion project – a non-profit dedicated to building playgrounds for people of all abilities. Our employees helped build the playground after Leonard’s shipped all the equipment, including swing sets and slides, from Minnesota to Upstate New York, free of charge. Even simpler gestures, like inviting the Salvation Army to store donated goods in one of our local warehouses, show our investment in the communities where we live and work.
More than 100 guests attended the Ontario County award ceremony at the Canandaigua Country Club. The atmosphere was enthusiastic and uplifting, and the other four companies that received awards shared remarks about how proud they are to support the local community.
Our Chief Financial Officer Kyle Johnson received the award on the organization’s behalf and also gave remarks. He spoke about why Leonard’s Express is so dedicated to supporting local initiatives. “When you see our trucks wrapped in the Breast Cancer and Parkinson’s logos, know that we not only support these initiatives [in the community], but also personally in our own families,” he said. “Supporting nonprofits is a core value of Leonard’s, and we encourage you all to do the same.”
Leonard’s Express has been a pillar in the community for decades and we plan to continue building and growing alongside our friends and neighbors for many years to come. To learn more about our community-based efforts, please watch this episode of our podcast, Leading the Way at Leonard’s.
