[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 92 (Friday, May 15, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO MR. LESLIE HERBERT WEXNER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. STEVE STIVERS

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 15, 2020

  Mr. STIVERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today on behalf of myself and my 
colleagues, Representatives Troy Balderson and Joyce Beatty, as well as 
the people of Central Ohio to celebrate the career of one of Ohio's 
most distinguished citizens, a man who devoted his life to building a 
historic company and to the improvement of his community, Mr. Leslie 
Herbert Wexner.
  Born in Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Wexner has lived the American Dream. The 
child of a Russian-Jewish immigrant and a first generation American, he 
attended The Ohio State University and served in the Ohio Air National 
Guard. He then got his start in the retail industry working at his 
family's store, Leslie's. He used that first-hand experience to found 
The Limited, taking the company public on the New York Stock Exchange 
just six years later.
  Since then, he grew L Brands to, at one point, include household 
names such as Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, Abercrombie and 
Henri Bendel. He has consistently been ranked among the Top 100 Best 
Performing Chief Executive Officers and was named the longest-serving 
CEO of a Fortune 500 company in 2012.
  His success as an entrepreneur is matched only by his extraordinary 
impact as a philanthropist who has made incredible contributions to 
Central Ohio. The Wexner Foundation began in order to fill a void in 
the North American Jewish Community, and has since expanded its 
mission, with programs including the Wexner Service Corps, the Wexner 
Field Fellowship, Wexner Senior Leaders, and Wexner Alumni Summits.
  Beyond that, he and his wife, Abigail, have empowered individuals 
throughout Central Ohio with their charitable works, including support 
for the Columbus Foundation, The Ohio State University's Wexner Medical 
Center, the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's 
Hospital, and the Wexner Center for the Arts.
  To attempt to quantify Mr. Wexner's impact is impossible. As Mr. Doug 
Kridler, president and chief executive officer of the Columbus 
Foundation once said, ``Les blew the ceiling off our sense of the 
possible in Columbus.''
  Mr. Wexner tackled projects large and small. From growing his 
business and providing thousands of jobs, to supporting developing 
leaders and encouraging medical breakthroughs, he has undeniably helped 
make Central Ohio a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.
  We all have come to know Mr. Wexner for his tireless work ethic, and 
his commitment to improving the lives of his neighbors. He has done a 
phenomenal job of building consensus and demonstrating the importance 
of civility in the process. His impact will be far-reaching for years 
and years to come, and as he begins this next chapter in his life, we 
are confident that our communities will continue to benefit from his 
exemplary leadership.
  It is an honor to recognize his retirement, and we ask all of our 
colleagues to join us in congratulating Mr. Les Wexner on an 
extraordinary career and wishing him and Abigail all the best.

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