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On Tuesday, August 11th, LEA lost one of its longest
tenured employees – the enthusiastic, kind, and
forward thinking, John (Thomas) Long. John was
known by his colleagues as a person that had a
love for his family as well as public transportation.
John’s journey with LEA started with an interview
by a former colleague at Ontario House in London,
England in 1965. John later received an
employment offer with LEA (then, Damas and Smith)
at their Don Mills office and arrived in Toronto in
April 1966, with his wife and two young daughters.
Today, John is recognized as a person that has been
influential in the way transit has developed over the
last 25 years in the GTA. Although John always
believed that LEA should remain employee-owned,
he had a vision for LEA to expand overseas.
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After becoming CEO of the LEA Group in 1998 and visiting India, John quickly ensured that the office in India expanded and that employees became shareholders in the firm. Although John had many accomplishments, watching LEA’s India operations (known to many as LASA) grow to over 2,000 employees is one of John’s proudest moments.
One of my most gratifying experiences with LEA is how we managed to fully integrate a partnership between Canada and India based on mutual respect, shared values, and collaboration. This foundation has not only allowed us to successfully work together on global projects but also take risks together, even in uncertain times. This foundation has made us the success story we are today – delivering services of the highest quality while recognizing the paramount objectives of the clients and countries we serve. LEA is committed to protecting and enhancing the planet that we all share – today and in to the future.
– John T. Long
John was tremendously dedicated to his work developing infrastructure around the world – so much so that upon retiring as CEO, he quickly started a consulting company and continued to work with LEA.
John also believed in building a work culture that worked hard but also came together to socialize and celebrate. He was a key contributor to building the “work hard, play hard” culture that LEA has today.
For all these reasons, we celebrate John’s life.
John will be dearly missed by his colleagues, friends, and those who he mentored but we will continue with his legacy for years to come.