J Wayne Leonard

J. Wayne Leonard, credited with engineering the financial turnaround of Entergy Corp. during his 14 years in charge, died of cancer Tuesday (Sept. 18 2018). Mr. Leonard's career in the utility industry brought him to Entergy in 1998 as its president and chief operating officer. Months later he was promoted to CEO. Leo Denault succeeded Mr. Leonard as CEO after his retirement in 2013. Mr. Leonhard was born on Nov. 22, 1950, in Greenfield, Indiana, where he biked a paper route as a boy, according to Entergy. He earned an accounting degree from Ball State University, which would later name him to its College of Business Hall of Fame and give him an honorary law degree. He received a master's degree in business from Indiana University. His brother, Mike Leonard, was newspaper columnist in Bloomington, Indiana. Mr. Leonard's survivors include his wife, Jackie; his three daughters, Alison, Rachel and Rebecca; and one granddaughter, Elizabeth. Leonard is one of 10 CEO award winners that will be honored at the 2004 Diversity and Women Leadership Summit and Gala, Oct. 26 in Washington, D.C. The Diversity Best Practices 2004 Leadership awards showcase the nation's progressive business leaders for embracing diversity in markets, workforces and communities. Leonard is being recognized for creating a corporate culture that embraces and drives diversity success throughout the company.