Our Visionary
Robert Alphonso Leonard Jr, was born February 26, 1943 in River Rouge Michigan. He graduated from River Rouge High School in 1960. After graduation, he joined the United States Army and received an honorable discharge in 1963 with a Specialist 4 Class ranking. During his time in the military he was part of the European Theater Campaign, "Operation Big Lift."
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Robert became an entrepreneur at an early age. After leaving the Army, he worked for Detroit Edison while devoting his studies to the insurance industry, specifically underwriting. He did an insurance apprenticeship in New York City, returned to Detroit, and established his own underwriting insurance company, Leonard Underwriters, Inc. Robert also ventured into the import/export arena and owned a vitamin and health food store for many years.
As a successful insurance underwriter, Robert later joined Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Company in 1988. He became the first minority Regional Director of Michigan and Mississippi. His leadership allowed him to train, supervise, and mentor hundreds of agents. In 2011, Robert was presented with the Life Time Achievement Award for his loyalty and dedication. Robert was a pioneer in the insurance business and served the metropolitan Detroit area for over 40 years, after beginning his career as an intern. Robert died on February 9, 2013 while attending a business conference in the Dominican Republic.
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Robert A. Leonard Jr. was passionate about life. As a successful business owner in the insurance industry, he made sound investments. Robert enjoyed travel, seeing the world and meeting its wonderful people. He believed it important for young people to be exposed to the world around them, removing limits and expanding the boundaries of their minds. Throughout his professional career, Robert consistently practiced a combination of sound investments and smart business choices. Upon his death he appointed his cousin, Georgena Harrington to take his wealth and create possibilities for youth to fulfill their education dreams. His generous and benevolent spirit made it possible for the creation of the Robert A. Leonard Jr. Charitable Trust. In 2015, the Robert A. Leonard Jr. Charitable Trust was established to provide scholarship opportunities for youth.
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"Education is not the learning of facts; but the training of the mind to think." - Albert Einstein
Our Mission
The hallmarks of the Robert A. Leonard Jr. Charitable Trust are to help youth gain the tools needed to unlock doors to greatness.
Our Vision
The Robert A. Leonard Jr. Charitable Trust gives youth an opportunity for higher education and works with families to ensure the students finish well.