WESTFIELD – Edward C. Leavy, the founder of the Jen-Coat Inc., now Prolamina, on North Elm Street, died Sunday at his home in Farmington, Conn.
Leavy, Jim Kauffman and Bob Robienczak built a small paper treatment company into one of the largest companies in the city with an international customer base.
“Ed Leavy cared very much about his adopted hometown of Westfield,” said Jim Kauffman, who came from new York to assist Levy in the foundation of Jen-Coat. “His concern for his employees and the community were especially evident in the early years of Jen-Coat.”
Kauffman said he is grateful to have had Leavy as a mentor in business, and in life.
“He was very unpretentious,” said Kauffman. “He was complicated, yet simple.”
“He was just a wonderful man,” added Kauffman’s wife, Carol.
Stevens was also remembered this morning by Robert Robienczak of Westfield, who said that he was the first employee of Jen-Coat.
He said that Leavy came to Westfield from New York where he had worked for International Paper Company. “He decided one day he was going to try to start a business” which he did with a machine purchased from Stevens Paper Mill
“I met him in ’72 when he was starting the company on Mainline Drive” he said. Robienczak said that he had experience at the Stevens mill with the first paper machine used by the company. He said that he helped Leavy out in the evenings even though “he didn’t have any money to pay me.” After that, Leavy offered him a job and he worked there until he retired due to a disability in 1993.
He said he was “very easy to work for” and said he was very generous.
“He made sure his employees had everything they needed” he said and said that, once the company started making money, he gave bonuses to his staff and paid all the health insurance for his employees for many years until the health care costs got out of control.
Robcienczak pointed out that “up to this day there’s never been layoff” at Jen-Coat and said that when business was slow he would keep his employees working by having them paint or clean until business picked up.
State Sen. Michael Knapik, (R-Westfield) said that he toured the North Elm Street facility 20 years ago.
“What struck me was how unique their paper manufacturing process is,” Knapik said this morning. “They built a great company here in Westfield and are an incredible corporate citizen. They set a standard in the city for treating their employees like family.”
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Leavy family,” Knapik said. “There is still a bit of Ed’s spirit in Jen-Coat.”
State Rep. Don Humason, (R-Westfield) said that he cannot remember a time when Jen-Coat Inc. was not a major company in the city.
“He’s a kind of a legend in the Westfield industrial scene, he started a small and continued to grow that company right here in Westfield,” Humason said. “Jen-Coat has been one of the biggest companies in Westfield for decades and Ed was one of the modern captains of industry who fed the success we see today across Westfield.”
“It is sad that he is gone, a big loss for the community,” Humason added. “We see these business leaders serve their companies and the community, and hope that the next generation of business leaders will be able to follow their lead.”
Mr. Leavy’s passing leaves a legacy for Jen-Coat’s current and past employees, and many families in Westfield,” said City Advancement Officer Jeff Daley. “His vision, leadership and entrepreneurial spirit led to developing a foundation for a long-standing, successful company in Westfield. Our community will be forever indebted to Mr. Leavy and his business partners for creating a world-class business.”
