Pearse Lyons leaves real legacy
I had not originally planned to attend #ONE18, Alltech’s annual symposium in Lexington, Kentucky, but as the week approached I realized I could not stay away.
Many of you would not know that 18 years ago when the idea of a daily one-hour radio about the lifestyles and challenges for folks in rural America popped into my head, the first person I ran it by was Pearse Lyons. Yes, Alltech and its founder were the sponsors of Rural Route Radio for the first 15 years.
On March 8, 2018, as word spread through the agricultural community of the death of Pearse Lyons, I think everyone was in disbelief that this man who lived his entire life bigger than any human ever dreams to live could be gone. Pearse has been called many things, good and, honestly, bad as well, but no one person would throw a hint of doubt into the fact that he was a dreamer and found a way to make anything he dreamed of become a reality.
I think the fondest memory I personally have of Pearse happened in 2010. It was announced in 2008 that Alltech was not only going to host the FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Kentucky, but it would be the title sponsor. That was a commitment of somewhere north of $10 million and so many, including folks in accounting at Alltech, were very vocal that this could be the end of the line for Alltech because the company could not afford such a commitment.
As you must have figured out by now, not only did the company meet that commitment but its involvement moved Alltech into a new level of global presence and was just the confidence booster a guy who was not lacking in any of that to begin with really needed to seal the deal that anything you dream of is achievable.
Without question, Pearse built a team that turned a small business that started with a $10,000 investment into a global powerhouse with over 6,000 employees on every corner of the planet. But as the first celebration of innovation comes to a close in the house that Pearse built, it is ultimately not the wealth or size of the company that most people focus on. It has been the caring, humble human being that led the company that truly makes the mark.
Many people would share their own story of how Pearse Lyons would walk into a room, enter a conversation with you and make you feel like you were the only person in that room. So many talked about the humanitarian spirit he had when devastation hit places like Haiti and Pearse would jump on the plane and head there to find a way to provide relief and build schools.
If we are being honest, I felt that most attendees came to #One18 just to see what it would be like without Pearse. Every single person I talked to spoke of missing him walking out on that stage and assuring everyone that the future is better than ever. He did not. He will not again. However, the true test of accomplishment for Pearse Lyons did walk out on that stage and that was his son, Mark Lyons. My hat is off to Mark as he did not try to be his dad. He was simply Mark Lyons and he gave everyone the feeling that his dad would not want people to mourn but rather to celebrate what we have been given and find a new plateau to reach.
People often talk about one’s wealth or even the number of folks that come to your funeral but what on earth is more important than leaving a next generation that is very well equipped to achieve dreams that haven’t even happened yet? In the case of Pearse Lyons, he may only have one actual son in the business but he created an environment where thousands of family members are pulling in one direction.
Rest in peace dear friend as your legacy is in good hands.
Editor’s note: Trent Loos is a sixth generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show, Loos Tales, and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com, or email Trent at [email protected].
