A legacy of setting the bar high

The event was one of those ongoing discussions about regional economic development. The site was Ball State University. The time was just a few years back.

After the usual review of the challenges and opportunities, the talk turned to leadership.

Who was the right person to bring all this together? Who had the vision, the credibility, the intellect, the character, and the spine to do the job?

One name was at the top of the list: John W. Fisher.

In some ways, that's not surprising. As this week's tributes have made clear, vision, credibility, intellect, character, and backbone were what John Fisher was all about.

But keep this in mind: At the time of that discussion, John had already celebrated his 90th birthday.

Whether that says more about the paucity of leadership in east central Indiana or about the larger-than-life stature of the man, we'll leave others to judge. Most probably it speaks to both.

John W. Fisher, who died Sunday at 93, was a man who cast a great shadow. And by the out-sized nature of his leadership, he may have unintentionally slowed the development of leadership skills in others.

To work with John on a board or a committee was an education; his insights, particularly when it came to finance and practicality, cut directly to the heart of the matter. And to make a point or secure his agreement on a course of action was both gratifying and humbling.

The retired Ball Corporation executive and philanthropist set the bar high, and he expected others to stretch the limits of their performance to meet his standards.

To those who had the pleasure of knowing him, that - ultimately - will be his legacy. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]