Leon Hess
Leon Hess | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Asbury Park, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | May 7, 1999 (aged 85) |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, Businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Hess Corporation, Owner of New York Jets |
Leon Hess (March 14, 1914 – May 7, 1999) was a prominent American entrepreneur, recognized as the founder of the Hess Corporation and the proprietor of the New York Jets. Following the economic downturn of the Great Depression, Hess developed an oil terminal in New Jersey and launched his inaugural refinery during the late 1950s. He divested Hess Oil and Chemical in 1963 and became part of a group that acquired the New York Jets, later orchestrating their relocation to Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1984.
In 1969, Hess took over Amerada Petroleum Corporation, a leading crude oil producer in the United States. The consolidation of Amerada with Hess Oil and Chemical resulted in the formation of Amerada Hess Corporation, where Hess held the roles of chairman and CEO until 1995. He passed away at age 85 on May 7, 1999, and was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame posthumously in 2011.
Early life
Born on March 14, 1914, in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Hess was the son of Ethel and Mores Hess. His father, a Lithuanian immigrant, initially worked as a kosher butcher before becoming an oil deliveryman. Hess started his career driving for his father’s business, which eventually failed during the Great Depression. He restructured the company and constructed an oil terminal in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, utilizing retired oil tankers and strategically undercutting competitors to win Federal contracts. During World War II, he served as a major and fuel supply officer under General George S. Patton, where he refined his expertise in logistics.
Career
Post-war, Hess expanded his operations through a series of smaller terminals. By the late 1950s, he had established his first refinery and launched a chain of gas stations in 1960. In the early 1960s, he developed what was then the world’s largest oil refinery on St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands. This venture capitalized on federal tax incentives and attained foreign refiner status to circumvent expensive U.S.-flagged shipping regulations while benefiting from subsidies granted to domestic refineries. Hess Oil and Chemical went public in 1963. In 1969, Hess acquired Amerada Petroleum Corporation, a significant U.S. crude oil producer, merging it with his company to create Amerada Hess Corporation. He remained chairman and CEO until 1995.
New York Jets
Hess became part of a consortium that bought the New York Jets in 1963 with an initial investment of $250,000. Over time, he purchased shares from partners: acquiring Werblin’s stake in 1968, Iselin’s heirs’ shares in 1977, Martin’s interest in 1981, and ultimately obtaining full ownership by buying Helen Dillon’s portion in 1984. The Jets transitioned from the Polo Grounds to Shea Stadium in 1964 before relocating to Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey for the 1984 season due to dissatisfaction with their previous venue.
Maintaining a low public profile throughout his ownership, Hess attended only three press conferences and generally avoided media exposure. He showed dedication to player welfare by honoring Dennis Byrd’s contract following a career-ending injury and awarded assistant coach Bill Belichick a $1 million bonus prior to his passing. Hess personally welcomed the team after their defeat at the 1999 AFC Championship Game.
From becoming majority owner in 1968 until his death in 1999, under Hess’s leadership the Jets amassed a record of 212-270-2 with eight playoff appearances.
Personal life and death
In 1947, he wed Norma Wilentz, the daughter of David T. Wilentz, who served as New Jersey's Attorney General and gained recognition for prosecuting the Lindbergh baby kidnapping case. Together, they had three children: Marlene Hess Zirin, Constance H. Williams, and John B. Hess. Marlene is married to James D. Zirin, an attorney and author.
In April 1999, he suffered a hip fracture and was admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital. He passed away there on May 7, 1999, due to complications arising from a blood disorder.
His will mandated the sale of the New York Jets and appointed Goldman Sachs & Co to oversee this process. He emphasized that the transaction should be conducted without regard to any family members' potential future ownership interests.
Legacy
Hess was posthumously inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2011. Three years later, in 2014, the New York Jets commemorated him alongside former wide receiver Wayne Chrebet by enshrining them in the team's Ring of Honor.
Several establishments carry his name, such as the Leon Hess Business School at Monmouth University, the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School located in Saint Lucia, and the Leon and Norma Hess Center for Science and Medicine within the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.