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Peters Continued from Page Fl easier. When Peters' father and other family members later immigrated, they too came under the name Peters. When Peters was two, his family moved to a farm two miles east of Fowler. He graduated from Fowler High School in 1923 and then settled into a life of farming with his father and brother. In 1929, a series of events led Peters into an association with Valley Foundry that proved the turning point in his life. Electricity had come to the family farm and Peters' father wanted to replace an irrigation pump and gasoline engine with a Valley Foundry unit that ran on electricity. Peters' father insisted that his oldest son deal with the salesman and sales manager who called at the farm. The sales manager was so impressed by Peters that he offered him a job to sell irrigation equipment to area farmers. He declined at first and then decided to take the job for several months during the winter when there wasn't much to do on the farm and he wouldn't be missed. Peters never came back. After working for 10 years as a salesman, he purchased Valley Foundry. Despite his quick rise in the business world, the early years of his ownership were not easy for Peters. There were times when he could not meet his payroll. He would issue payroll checks, but tell his employees not to cash them until he had the chance to go out and collect money owed by customers. "We went through a real period of trial and tribulation and then we finally put things together," Peters said. From a dollars and cents perspective, the turn-around came with a new grape crusher which Valley Foundry began manufacturing in 1940 and which proved very popular with the wineries. The firm began to specialize in winery equipment following the end of Prohibition in 1933. A less tangible turning point, but one just as important to Peters, began ironically with a mistake. Because of early inexperience, he manufactured and sold 13 defective grape crushers. When he realized the mistake, Peters repaired the equipment at his own expense. While he had to borrow money to do it, the repair work was worth it to Peters. "(From that point on) people knew they could buy with confidence," he explained. His friends point out that Peters also made a go of Valley Foundry because of his special abilities. "Leon was then, and still is a very astute businessman and great salesman," said Ernest Gallo at a Fresno County and City Chamber of Commerce dinner several years ago. "He has always produced a superior product and believes intensely in its value. Consequently, his enthusiasm over the value he offers results in great salesmanship." Gallo went on to recall one of his first encounters with Peters. The young salesman had brought a wine pump to Gallo's winery in Modesto for a demonstration. The pump was priced at $250, but Gallo was not eager to pay that much for it. "Over a three-day period, I first offered him $150, then $200, then $225 and finally paid him his asking price of $250," Gallo said. At Valley Foundry, Peters learned mechanical engineering on the job and through association with colleagues. He regrets the fact that he never attained a university education. "Many times I wished I had gone and that's one of the reasons that I appreciate the university (Fresno State University)," he said. "Even though I had a measure of success in my efforts, I know I would have received more out of life with a higher education." Peters said he tried to compensate for his lack of university training with hard work. Not a man to brood over those things in life that he could not control, Peters said, "When you lack something you try and make it up with something else. All I had was hard work." Peters is equally philosophical about the ethnic discrimination he faced as an Armenian-American. His first brush with bigotry came at Fowler High School and it dogged him even after he had become one of the city's leading businessmen. He tried to join the Masonic Lodge three times (the first two attempts were in the late 1920s and the third in 1930s) but he was rejected each time because of his ethnic background. Peters was eventually told he might have a better chance of getting in if he applied in San Francisco. Reflecting back on the advice, Peters recalled his thinking at the time: "That's not the way I want to be a Mason. I live here. This is my home. Someday this is going to change. You really cannot go on year after year and bar people if they're qualified just because they were born an Armenian, an Irishman or whatever. So, I didn't go." Some years later, Peters was invited to join a local chapter of the Masonic Lodge and after "some soul searching and persuasion" he agreed to do so. Peters notes with obvious pride that few people are invited to join the Masons. When Peters was president of the chamber of commerce in the 1950s, he also was rejected for membership in a local country club. "There were about 25 or 30 old-time, die-hard members of the club who would not accept an Armenian," he said. "No matter how good you were or how much good you'd done for the community, that had no bearing." Such experiences did not leave Peters an embittered man. "In fact," he said, "I think it reinforced my determination (to succeed) ..." Noting that some Armenian-Americans still harbor bitter feelings about their early experiences here, Peters said he believes they are wrong to hold a grudge. "It (the display of prejudice) was not unanimous or universal among all the citizens of the community. It was a limited number . . - . and that doesn't mean the whole community was wrong." A sense of community is deeply engrained in Peters and he believes he has a responsibility to be involved in civic projects. His community work has been extensive as is reflected by the many plaques and certificates of appreciation that line his office's walls. Peters has been associated with the San Joaquin College of Law Board of Trustees, Junior Achievement, Fresno Art Center, American Red Cross, United Crusade, Boy's Club, YMCA, Fresno City and County Chamber of Commerce (past president), Rotary Club (past president), Armenian-American Citizens League (former state president), Valley Children's Hospital and Fresno State University. Peters is perhaps best known, though, for his work at Community Hospital. When he was asked in 1949 to join the hospital's board of trustees, Peters said he eagerly accepted. "I could see that I was really reaping the benefits of others who proceeded me. They had devoted their energy to this community . . . (and made) a place for me to come and have the opportunity to succeed . . . "It became important to be able to do something for this community and for future generations . . ." Peters quickly proved a valuable member of the board and in the 1950s he agreed to lead a fundraising campaign that was needed to help finance Community's first major addition. The board of trustees was almost ready to abandon the project when Peters agreed to accept the post. Under his direction, the campaign not only met its $1.57 million goal. It raised an extra $70,000. In 1959, Peters was elected president of the board of trustees, a post he held until late last year when he declined to seek re-election. He continues to serve on the board in the newly created position of president emeritus. "I know that it (the title) doesn't mean anything, but it's a gesture that I really appreciate," Peters said. Peters believes his main contribution to .the hospital has been his determination. "Whenever there was a challenge or problem, no matter how difficult, I was able through persistence and perseverance to ask others to accept the same devotion that I was giving and jointly we were able to do the things that we've done." Peters is aware that he, perhaps more than any other trustee, is associated in the public's mind with Community Hospital and he strives to make it clear that the hospital's growth has been made possible by many. "It's been a collective effort ... and I think that they (the public) give me much more credit than I really deserve. They overlook the fact that without the support we would never have the organization that we have today." The years of community service have not been without a price for Peters, but he has no complaints. "There is always a time when you run into a severe problem ... but you're in there and you can't turn it (the involvement) off like a faucet . . . "So if you're conscientious and if you have respect for your fellow man and if you love your community, regardless of how difficult the problem is or how much it saps your vitality, consumes your time or takes you away from your home and recreation, you just don't give up. "It's only justifiable that you continue to overcome those problems and devote yourself . . - . and I've done that. As I look back it gives me a great sense of gratification and sense of accomplishment. You get a warm glow within yourself that you did something that was really worthwhile. "I sacrificed, but it was worth it."
Object Description
Title | Scrapbook |
Object type | Photo album |
Physical collection | Leon S. Peters papers |
Folder structure | Biographical_information |
Description
Title | Page 03 |
Physical description | 35.6 cm. x 30.0 cm. |
Full text search | Peters Continued from Page Fl easier. When Peters' father and other family members later immigrated, they too came under the name Peters. When Peters was two, his family moved to a farm two miles east of Fowler. He graduated from Fowler High School in 1923 and then settled into a life of farming with his father and brother. In 1929, a series of events led Peters into an association with Valley Foundry that proved the turning point in his life. Electricity had come to the family farm and Peters' father wanted to replace an irrigation pump and gasoline engine with a Valley Foundry unit that ran on electricity. Peters' father insisted that his oldest son deal with the salesman and sales manager who called at the farm. The sales manager was so impressed by Peters that he offered him a job to sell irrigation equipment to area farmers. He declined at first and then decided to take the job for several months during the winter when there wasn't much to do on the farm and he wouldn't be missed. Peters never came back. After working for 10 years as a salesman, he purchased Valley Foundry. Despite his quick rise in the business world, the early years of his ownership were not easy for Peters. There were times when he could not meet his payroll. He would issue payroll checks, but tell his employees not to cash them until he had the chance to go out and collect money owed by customers. "We went through a real period of trial and tribulation and then we finally put things together," Peters said. From a dollars and cents perspective, the turn-around came with a new grape crusher which Valley Foundry began manufacturing in 1940 and which proved very popular with the wineries. The firm began to specialize in winery equipment following the end of Prohibition in 1933. A less tangible turning point, but one just as important to Peters, began ironically with a mistake. Because of early inexperience, he manufactured and sold 13 defective grape crushers. When he realized the mistake, Peters repaired the equipment at his own expense. While he had to borrow money to do it, the repair work was worth it to Peters. "(From that point on) people knew they could buy with confidence," he explained. His friends point out that Peters also made a go of Valley Foundry because of his special abilities. "Leon was then, and still is a very astute businessman and great salesman," said Ernest Gallo at a Fresno County and City Chamber of Commerce dinner several years ago. "He has always produced a superior product and believes intensely in its value. Consequently, his enthusiasm over the value he offers results in great salesmanship." Gallo went on to recall one of his first encounters with Peters. The young salesman had brought a wine pump to Gallo's winery in Modesto for a demonstration. The pump was priced at $250, but Gallo was not eager to pay that much for it. "Over a three-day period, I first offered him $150, then $200, then $225 and finally paid him his asking price of $250," Gallo said. At Valley Foundry, Peters learned mechanical engineering on the job and through association with colleagues. He regrets the fact that he never attained a university education. "Many times I wished I had gone and that's one of the reasons that I appreciate the university (Fresno State University)," he said. "Even though I had a measure of success in my efforts, I know I would have received more out of life with a higher education." Peters said he tried to compensate for his lack of university training with hard work. Not a man to brood over those things in life that he could not control, Peters said, "When you lack something you try and make it up with something else. All I had was hard work." Peters is equally philosophical about the ethnic discrimination he faced as an Armenian-American. His first brush with bigotry came at Fowler High School and it dogged him even after he had become one of the city's leading businessmen. He tried to join the Masonic Lodge three times (the first two attempts were in the late 1920s and the third in 1930s) but he was rejected each time because of his ethnic background. Peters was eventually told he might have a better chance of getting in if he applied in San Francisco. Reflecting back on the advice, Peters recalled his thinking at the time: "That's not the way I want to be a Mason. I live here. This is my home. Someday this is going to change. You really cannot go on year after year and bar people if they're qualified just because they were born an Armenian, an Irishman or whatever. So, I didn't go." Some years later, Peters was invited to join a local chapter of the Masonic Lodge and after "some soul searching and persuasion" he agreed to do so. Peters notes with obvious pride that few people are invited to join the Masons. When Peters was president of the chamber of commerce in the 1950s, he also was rejected for membership in a local country club. "There were about 25 or 30 old-time, die-hard members of the club who would not accept an Armenian," he said. "No matter how good you were or how much good you'd done for the community, that had no bearing." Such experiences did not leave Peters an embittered man. "In fact," he said, "I think it reinforced my determination (to succeed) ..." Noting that some Armenian-Americans still harbor bitter feelings about their early experiences here, Peters said he believes they are wrong to hold a grudge. "It (the display of prejudice) was not unanimous or universal among all the citizens of the community. It was a limited number . . - . and that doesn't mean the whole community was wrong." A sense of community is deeply engrained in Peters and he believes he has a responsibility to be involved in civic projects. His community work has been extensive as is reflected by the many plaques and certificates of appreciation that line his office's walls. Peters has been associated with the San Joaquin College of Law Board of Trustees, Junior Achievement, Fresno Art Center, American Red Cross, United Crusade, Boy's Club, YMCA, Fresno City and County Chamber of Commerce (past president), Rotary Club (past president), Armenian-American Citizens League (former state president), Valley Children's Hospital and Fresno State University. Peters is perhaps best known, though, for his work at Community Hospital. When he was asked in 1949 to join the hospital's board of trustees, Peters said he eagerly accepted. "I could see that I was really reaping the benefits of others who proceeded me. They had devoted their energy to this community . . . (and made) a place for me to come and have the opportunity to succeed . . . "It became important to be able to do something for this community and for future generations . . ." Peters quickly proved a valuable member of the board and in the 1950s he agreed to lead a fundraising campaign that was needed to help finance Community's first major addition. The board of trustees was almost ready to abandon the project when Peters agreed to accept the post. Under his direction, the campaign not only met its $1.57 million goal. It raised an extra $70,000. In 1959, Peters was elected president of the board of trustees, a post he held until late last year when he declined to seek re-election. He continues to serve on the board in the newly created position of president emeritus. "I know that it (the title) doesn't mean anything, but it's a gesture that I really appreciate," Peters said. Peters believes his main contribution to .the hospital has been his determination. "Whenever there was a challenge or problem, no matter how difficult, I was able through persistence and perseverance to ask others to accept the same devotion that I was giving and jointly we were able to do the things that we've done." Peters is aware that he, perhaps more than any other trustee, is associated in the public's mind with Community Hospital and he strives to make it clear that the hospital's growth has been made possible by many. "It's been a collective effort ... and I think that they (the public) give me much more credit than I really deserve. They overlook the fact that without the support we would never have the organization that we have today." The years of community service have not been without a price for Peters, but he has no complaints. "There is always a time when you run into a severe problem ... but you're in there and you can't turn it (the involvement) off like a faucet . . . "So if you're conscientious and if you have respect for your fellow man and if you love your community, regardless of how difficult the problem is or how much it saps your vitality, consumes your time or takes you away from your home and recreation, you just don't give up. "It's only justifiable that you continue to overcome those problems and devote yourself . . - . and I've done that. As I look back it gives me a great sense of gratification and sense of accomplishment. You get a warm glow within yourself that you did something that was really worthwhile. "I sacrificed, but it was worth it." |