W. Howard Lester

W. Howard Lester, American entrepreneur, devoted husband, beloved father, grandfather and cherished friend, died Monday at his home surrounded by his loved ones in Indian Wells, Calif. after a 13 year long and courageous battle with cancer. He was a business icon, who for over 32 years guided the development and success of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands. Howard lived the American dream during his life's journey. Born August 14, 1935 in Durant, Okla., he was known to all as just "Howard." Despite being raised, as he often said, "on the wrong side of the tracks", he was a true renaissance man with so many achievements. Even with all his success, he never forgot his humble beginnings. In the 1950s, Howard served in the Counter Intelligence Corp. of the U.S. Army and was stationed in Munich, Germany. After military service, he attended the University of Oklahoma where he met his first wife Wanda Eshelman. During the 1960s and early 1970s, Howard created several of his own companies, including Centurex Corporation, which became one of the leading suppliers of software systems to the American banking industry. After selling the company in 1976, he "retired." Never one to relax for long, in 1978, a friend introduced Howard to Chuck Williams, the founder of Williams-Sonoma. Howard immediately saw the potential and an enduring partnership began with Chuck that would last over 30 years. Early in his career, Howard jotted down seven principles that eventually came to be known as "Howard's Rules". These rules speak to his beliefs; the need for vision, the disdain for arrogance, modeling of honesty and integrity, reverence for the accomplishments of associates, and above all, a belief in the value of the customer, "because without them, nothing else matters". Originally intended as guiding principles for his own behavior, still today, these "rules" guide the entire Williams-Sonoma, Inc. organization and are integral to the rich culture that Howard helped to build. As Chairman and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. from 1978 to his recent retirement in May 2010, Howard transformed business operations, taking Williams-Sonoma, Inc. public in 1983 while overseeing the development of more than 600 retail stores, seven direct mail catalogs and six online retail websites. More than fifty years ago, Howard began a love affair with a game that would become one of the centerpieces of his life. Through golf, he forged many of his closest relationships. Whether he was competing in tournaments or just playing with friends, his quest to better his game was endless. Howard may have simply been his happiest on the golf course. He served as a director for the Bob Hope Classic Golf Tournament. Howard strove to improve the lives of others through his philanthropy. With his wife Mary, they supported education, medical research, youth programs and the arts. In 1991, he founded The Lester Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation within the Haas School of Business at the University at California, Berkeley, which now carries on his legacy of business enterprise. In 2005, they endowed a new addition to the University of Oklahoma's Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art. Over the years, he and Mary helped fund vital cancer research programs at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Howard provided his resources, leadership and guidance to many organizations including: Boy Scouts of America, Conner Peripherals Inc., Delancey Street Foundation, Harold's Stores, Inc., Il Fornaio (America) Corporation, International Association of Shopping Centers, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and The Good Guys, Inc. He also served on the Executive Council of the University of California, San Francisco, and the Advisory Boards of the Retail Management Institute of Santa Clara University and the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2001, Howard was elected to Oklahoma's Hall of Fame. In 2003, he was honored by the Haas School of Business as the Business Leader of the Year and also received an honorary degree from the University of Oklahoma the following year. In 2007, he received the Lifetime Humanitarian award for the Housewares Charity Foundation. Mr. Lester is survived by his wife Mary; his children: Kirk and his wife Sheryl; Kathryn Lindlan and her husband Tim; and Kristen Rio and her husband Steve; his five grandchildren: Claire, Charles, and Charlotte Lester, Luke and Sarah Lindlan and his niece, Elizabeth Lester Hartmann. Funeral and Mass will be held at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, 650 Parker Street, San Francisco, California on Sunday, November 21st at 2:00pm followed by a reception at Delancey Street, 600 Embarcadero Street, San Francisco, Calif. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that donations may be made to: MD Anderson Cancer Center, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Delancey Street Foundation, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.