Leo Phillips of Delray Beach with Smurf collection. Tim Stepien/Coastal Star
Leo Phillips has an abiding admiration for Papa Smurf, the lead cartoon character from The Smurfs, who Phillips describes as “wise, collegial and understanding.”
Phillips wants to be like Papa Smurf — who is 546 years old and “deals with very different personalities; people in his village have all kinds of personalities and he manages to make life there fun, collegial and optimistic,” says the 80-year-old Phillips. “He’s a great leader. And I really truly believe this. A great leader should give credit to others when things go well and be prepared to take responsibility when they do not. Papa Smurf is a consummate leader. He even shows compassion to his enemy.”
About his numerous nonprofit activities and pursuits, the Delray Beach man takes Papa’s philosophy.
“I have many interests, and they are all important. I believe strongly in all of them. To single one out, that would not be a good leader.
“I believe in their missions, in what they do. They are important to the community. When I take on a leadership role, I want to do nothing but my best, and I believe in that strongly. If you are going to do something in life, do it well. If you can’t meet that test, don’t do it.”
In true Papa Smurf fashion, he credits his life’s bounty to family and friends.
Phillips and his wife, Pat, celebrated their 42nd anniversary on Aug. 23. “We have each other — no kids,” he said. “We married later in life. I like spending time with her. She’s absolutely a wonderful person. I was most fortunate to have the luck to meet her. And she was a blind date. We hit it off immediately. We started off slowly, only six nights the first week!
“I also like to play bridge with my friends.”
Phillips mentions other people as well as organizations that he appreciates.
Since leaving the corporate world in 1999, he has been actively involved with nonprofits and with his communities, he said. “In the Washington area, I was involved with nonprofits, and here, I got involved with them a lot more.
“There were a couple of gentlemen who got me started in major nonprofits here. One was Ernie Simon. Ernie was a lawyer in town. He passed away at age 93 a few years ago. And the other person was Leon Weekes, former mayor of Delray Beach. The two took me under their wing and got me involved. I was very blessed to know both of them. They were wonderful people who gave a lot to this community.
“My friend Harvey Oyer is amazing. I don’t know how he has the time and energy to accomplish all that he does.”
Paying it forward, Phillips has taken others under his wing. “From my students in my teaching career, one became a deputy foreign minister of Korea. A number of students thank me.
“I mentored people along the way, and I wasn’t even realizing it.
“And years later, people I dealt with in nonprofits and churches have said to me similarly. Sometimes, you don’t know how you might touch someone until years down the road.”
His motto: “Success isn’t just about career achievements; it’s about the lives that you touch along the way. Life is a learning experience, and if you stop learning, you are not getting all that you can out of life.
“I am also very interested in sports. I have competed in a number of sports throughout my life and have enjoyed attending numerous sporting events as well as following them constantly on television. During my college years, I served as the sports information director.
“I was responsible for brochures, programs, statistics, attending press conferences and hosting a weekly radio show. My brochures were judged to be among the finest in the country.”
— Christine Davis
Q. Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A. I grew up in Hillsdale, Michigan. The schools at which I was educated are:
• Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, bachelor’s in political science
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, master’s in political science, juris doctor
• Free University of Brussels, Belgium, comparative and international law
• University of Exeter, England, legal studies
• John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Senior Managers in Government Program.
My education provided broad exposure to various disciplines. I studied in depth such diverse subjects as music composition and mathematics.
Q. What professions have you worked in? What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?
A. University professor. I lectured in one of six Korean national universities while affiliated with the U.S. Peace Corps. I lived with a Korean family. I continue to enjoy my friendship with students from that era who have been most successful in their chosen endeavors.
As an attorney, I practiced with a well-known New York City law firm, a profit-making U.S. government corporation providing financing and political risk insurance in the developing world, and as senior officer of a Standard & Poor’s 500 corporation in the hotel and health care industries.
I’ve been a Realtor, affiliated with established local real estate firms.
I am most proud of negotiating large business transactions that did not find their way into litigation.
While I have received numerous recognitions and awards throughout my career, my most important accomplishment is being married to my wonderful wife of 42 years, Pat. She has been with me every step of the way, providing guidance and counsel.
Q. What advice do you have for a young person selecting a career today?
A. Have a passion for what you do. Do not do something because your family or friends urge you to do it. Also, do not do something to chase a possible monetary return. Finally, understand your strengths and weaknesses. You need to match your strengths with your passion.
Q. How did you choose to make your home in Delray Beach?
A. My wife’s family, Margaret and Walter “Bud” Floyd, first bought a home in Delray Beach in the early 1960s. My wife had worked here on and off for several years. She introduced me to Delray in the early 1980s and I loved it.
Q. What is your favorite part about living in Delray Beach?
A. Besides Delray’s being a beautiful town, I am blessed to have many good friends and opportunities to assist others through my nonprofit activities.
Q. What book are you reading now?
A. Poor Charlie’s Almanack. The book reflects the life and wisdom of Charlie Munger, a co-founder of Berkshire Hathaway with his friend Warren Buffett and a great philanthropist. It also reflects his commonsense view of life and values which are important.
Q. What music do you listen to when you need inspiration? When you want to relax?
A. I love classical music. It both inspires and relaxes me. I am especially partial to Beethoven, Bruckner and Brahms. My mother, Martha, was a professional musician of some stature. I performed in high school, college, community and church choirs, orchestras and bands.
Q. Do you have a favorite quote that inspires your decisions?
A. The Bible says, “This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!” I have been a longtime admirer of Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote The Power of Positive Thinking. Positive thinking brings better health and more enjoyment in life.
Q. Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A. My father, Leo Phillips Sr., taught me that you have had a successful day if you made someone’s day better. Also, the good you do today may not be seen for a period of time. Finally, one person can make a difference in the world. From my father, I have learned that life is like a chess game: One needs to understand moves that may have to be made down the road and prepare for the same.
Q. If your life story were made into a movie, who would you want to play you?
A. Papa Smurf. He is wise, collegial and understanding.
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