NEW ORLEANS
J. Wayne Leonard, former chairman and CEO of Entergy Corporation, passed away September 18, 2018, in New Orleans, Louisiana. Born November 22, 1950, Wayne grew up in Greenfield, Indiana. He rose from humble childhood beginnings to become CEO of a Fortune 500 company and a thought-leader for environmental stewardship and fighting poverty. He was among the first leaders in the energy sector to call for action to stem climate change and offered policy solutions to address the issue. Wayne was also known for his humanitarian spirit and passion for social justice, giving of his time and money to support causes, especially ones to improve the lives of people living in poverty.
Wayne is survived by his wife, Jackie; his three daughters, Allison M.D. (Ryan), Rachel, and Rebecca (Patrick); and one granddaughter, Elizabeth. Other survivors include sister, Victoria E. (Mike) Splater of Greenfield, Indiana; brothers Michael J. (Mardi) Leonard of Bloomington, Indiana, and Timothy B. Leonard (Mick Swift) of Indianapolis, Indiana; nephew Jon (Chris) Splater and niece, Lori (Wayne) May. He was predeceased by his mother, Alfrieda C. Leonard, father, James J. Leonard and brother Patrick C. Leonard.
Wayne served as CEO of Entergy from 1998 to 2013. He was named CEO of the year in 2003 by Platts Global Energy Awards, and received top CEO honors from Institutional Investor, Diversity Best Practices and other organizations recognizing leadership in business performance and practices. Before joining Entergy, Wayne held leadership roles at Cinergy and PSI Energy, where he began his career.
Wayne earned a B.S. in accounting and political science at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and a MBA at Indiana University in Bloomington. His academic honors included being named to Ball State’s College of Business Hall of Fame and he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law degree from his alma mater in 2004. Among other awards, he was named 2003 Business Leader of the Year by Georgetown University. He also served on the boards of directors at energy companies Emera and Tidewater.
Outside of work, Wayne was known as a devoted family man, a film buff, and a sports fan who applied his intellect to the strategies and performance of sporting events, down to coaching youth teams and training his daughters in cross country and track and field. He was a talented athlete himself and ran competitively and for fitness, even after beginning treatment for cancer in late 2015. He also was known for his sharp wit and sense of humor, and humility. His successes in the business world never changed his outlook on life or strong sense of decency and fairness to all. These values and his legacy will live on through his family, friends, and the countless people Wayne helped over his lifetime.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, Louisiana on Thursday, September 27, 2018 from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM. The visitation will continue at the funeral home on Friday, September 28 from 10:30 AM until 1:00 PM. A private memorial service will be held for the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to Ochsner’s J. Wayne and Jackie Leonard Precision Cancer Therapies Clinic or to the J. Wayne Leonard Prosperity Center. Donations in Wayne’s memory can be made out to United Way of Southeast Louisiana, with “J. Wayne Leonard Prosperity Center” in the memo line.
To view and sign the family guestbook, visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.
