Lloyd E. Lenard - Career and Political Choices

Career and Political Choices

Lenard’s graduate thesis was on the impact of the Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Company on the southwestern United States. He was offered a position with the Nieman Marcus training program but soon left to return to Monroe, where he became advertising manager of former Governor James A. Noe’s KNOE radio, since sold by the Noe heirs. Lenard became active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Junior Chamber International (or Jaycees), and the fledgling Louisiana Republican Party.

In the 1963-1964 gubernatorial campaign, he flew around the state with Republican Party nominee Charlton Lyons, a Shreveport oilman whom he called "Papa" Lyons, to interview the candidate for radio stations and newspapers. Lyons was defeated by Democrat John McKeithen but nevertheless waged the first determined Republican bid for governor since Reconstruction.

Lenard left KNOE and relocated to Shreveport to joined Atena Life Insurance Company as its assistant general agent. He later became general agent for Pan American Life Insurance, having been responsible for the hiring and training of sales associates. He also worked as a recruiter and trainer for Lincoln National Life Insurance.

As a past president of the Americanism Forum, Lenard engaged in public speaking, mostly before civic clubs and schools. One of his lectures was entitled "Fires of Tyranny." He also was the moderator of the Shreveport KWKH radio program, Party Line.