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Biographies & Memoirs General Nonfiction Business - Country: United States
- Books: 1
- Profession: Author, Retired CEO
- Born: 19 February
- Member Since: Oct 2023
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BIOGRAPHY
Leonard H. Roberts was born on February 19, 1949. Growing up in Chicago as the son of a Jewish mechanical draftsman, he spent his childhood going to school, playing games in the neighborhood, and confronting bullies and prejudice at a young age. Len married his high school sweetheart—and lifetime love—at the age of 18, and they would later have three daughters together.
Leonard earned a bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Marketing from the University of Illinois in 1971, and he was a world-acclaimed food scientist by the age of 19. He also earned a law degree from DePaul University Law School and was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1974. His remarkable career began as a food scientist at Central Soya while a high school senior, and then at Armour Foods, hired there during his junior year of college, and continued at Ralston Purina Company.
Leonard made a name for himself in food science, marketing, and food service between 1968 and 1985, serving in key management positions. But his most lauded accomplishments were yet to come: incredible turnarounds at three Fortune 500 companies. First, he served as president and CEO of Arby's, Inc., where he is credited with engineering an acclaimed and dramatic revival of the company. Next, he repeated this feat as chairman and CEO of Shoney's, Inc., leading the second-largest restaurant chain in the country. Then he secured the triple crown with a third turnaround, this time as chairman and CEO of RadioShack Corporation, where he was the catalyst for the successful reinvention of a company. Along the way, he battled the corruption of Miami financier Victor Posner, and the extreme racism of Shoney's founder, Ray Danner, while protecting and promoting the interests of the companies he led, the people they employed, and the customers they served. His vision and leadership elicited major media coverage in outlets like USA Today, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and others, and brought numerous industry accolades and awards.
In giving back to the community, Len has served on many boards, including Texas Health Resources, One Safe Place, Students in Free Enterprise, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation, the National Crime Prevention Council, North Texas Bold Initiative, National Conference for Community and Justice, Big Brothers and Big Sisters. and United Way of America. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan presented him with the Presidential Private Sector Initiative Award, and in 1999 he was honored as Father of the Year.
