|
PUBLISHER'S VIEWPOINT
April 2008
Mary Moon's Quiet Leadership
I called Larry Moon a couple weeks ago to offer my sympathies on the passing of his mother, Mary, Jan. 16. Mary was always really, really nice to me when I was a young kid editor 25 years ago. I'd stop by her office on the top floor of the old Lakeside Manufacturing plant in Milwaukee and she'd ask about the family and how the magazine was going. She always struck me as a person anyone would love: kind, warm, genuinely caring. I still appreciate her kindnesses to me.
What I didn't know then was that Mary had a very interesting and not always easy life. Leadership was thrust on her when her husband Robert died suddenly in 1974. The way she handled the challenge had a lot to do with the company's ongoing success. Larry told the story well:
 |
|
|
"Mary brought steady, humane leadership to her family and business."
|
|
| |
|
"While Mom was never directly active in Lakeside while Dad was alive, she and Dad would talk about the business nearly every night when Dad got home. We could gauge the health of the company by the temperature of the roast when we all finally sat down for dinner.
"When my Dad died suddenly in '74, Mom joined the company within days. With Lakeside highly leveraged to fund Dad's land development company, in the middle of an economic downturn, and with two children in college and a senior in high school, she basically had no choice but to join the company. While she never planned to work outside of the home, she realized it was her best option. Fortunately, since Lakeside was being successfully led by Ray Donovan and his management team, Mom could focus on liquidating the land holdings and not worry about Lakeside.
"With the land disposed of, Mom focused her attention on the next generation. While it would be several years before Scott, my brother, and I would join the company, the plans and strategies were set in place. Acquisitions were made to diversify the holdings, and Scott and I focused our attention on business other than Lakeside outside of the foodservice industry. While we had continuing involvement in Lakeside during this time, the day to day responsibility for its management continued to be in Ray's hands with Mom's participation.
"During her years at Lakeside, Mom was very active in the business attending trade shows and sales meetings, visiting customers and suppliers. She developed many close friendships through the business. Up to the time of Mom's retirement in '97, her focus was always Lakeside's health, its customers and its employees. She had a deep sense of loyalty, integrity, and commitment to not only her family, but to the business as well."
Thanks Larry, and may Mary rest in peace.
Cheers,
Robin Ashton
Publisher
|
