# John T. Leonard

> John T. Leonard (1943-2025) was MEMIC’s founding president and CEO, recruited in February 1993 after Maine legislation and a board of incorporators established the private mutual insurer. He led it until September 2017, following a 27-year Travelers career, and held national insurance leadership roles. A Siena College scholarship recipient, he later endowed a scholarship there and was honored through a University of Southern Maine chair in risk management and insurance.

- **Role:** Insurance executive
- **Organizations:** MEMIC, Travelers Insurance Company, ACORD, National Council on Compensation Insurance, American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds, AMCOMP, National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston New England Advisory Council
- **From:** Albany, United States
- **Education:** Christian Brothers Academy, Albany, Siena College
- **Known for:** Led MEMIC from its first year to an insurer reporting $1.3 billion in assets in August 2017., Supported expansion beyond Maine through subsidiaries established in 2000 and 2012., Held chair positions at ACORD and NCCI.

## Career timeline

- **1960** — Entered Siena College with a scholarship.
- **1964** — Graduated from Siena College; subsequently joined Travelers.
- **Before 1993** — Spent 27 years at Travelers, leading commercial lines agency marketing and underwriting.
- **1993** — Recruited in February as MEMIC’s founding permanent president and CEO, after its first policy on January 1.
- **2000** — MEMIC formed MEMIC Indemnity Company in New Hampshire.
- **2001** — Chaired ACORD’s board.
- **2008** — Again named ACORD board chair.
- **2010** — Elected chair of NCCI.
- **2012** — MEMIC acquired an insurer to form MEMIC Casualty Company.
- **2014** — Siena described his fiftieth-reunion estate gift for an endowed scholarship.
- **2017** — USM announced a chair in his name in August; retired in September and was succeeded by Michael Bourque.
- **2018** — Received the Maine State Chamber’s Alton “Chuck” Cianchette Business Hall of Fame Award on October 17.
- **2025** — Died November 3, aged 82.

## Achievements

- Led MEMIC from its first year to an insurer reporting $1.3 billion in assets in August 2017.
- Supported expansion beyond Maine through subsidiaries established in 2000 and 2012.
- Held chair positions at ACORD and NCCI.
- Arranged a Siena estate gift to endow a scholarship.
- Honored through the MEMIC John T. Leonard Endowed Chair in Risk Management and Insurance at USM.
- Received the Maine State Chamber’s 2018 Alton “Chuck” Cianchette Business Hall of Fame Award.

## Latest updates

- **2025-11** — Leonard died on November 3 at age 82; MEMIC published a tribute to its founding president and CEO.

## Links

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-leonard-b0411b16

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/john-t-leonard
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Last updated: 2026-10-23