By David Dore
Leominster Champion
LEOMINSTER — A moment of silence was offered at last week’s Leominster City Council meeting for a man who left an indelible impact on the city, the region and the state.
The honor was for businessman, philanthropist and activist Ron Ansin, who passed away June 28 at age 89.
“I think the mayor said it best in the paper that where do you begin on what he’s done for the area,” said Leominster City Councilor Claire Freda, who worked with the Ansin family through several committees over the years. “Not just us, for surrounding communities, on the state level, and he certainly has taught his children Barry, Ken, Bob and Kim to have the same attitude towards helping those less fortunate, equality, inclusion — he was way ahead of his time with all of it.”
Born in Worcester on March 28, 1934, Ronald Marvin Ansin and his younger brother Edmund (who would become owner of WHDH-TV and WLVI-TV in Boston) grew up in Athol and Miami Beach, Florida.
After finishing law school at Harvard and Yale, Ron Ansin moved back to Massachusetts and assumed leadership of the family business, Anwelt Shoe in Fitchburg. Ansin became a respected figure in the footwear industry, representing the industry in visits to the White House during the Carter administration. He was inducted into the Footwear Industry Hall of Fame in 1996.
Ansin was involved in several other business-related areas, including serving as chairman at the former Merchants National Bank and playing a pivotal role in establishing Enterprise Bank in Lowell, which has had a branch in Leominster for nearly 30 years. He also served as the state’s commissioner of commerce during the Dukakis administration, spearheading the “Spirit of Massachusetts” marketing campaign.
Ansin also showed a willingness to help the community. He was a past chair of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, encouraging the chamber’s economic development and tourism efforts and contributing to its Annual Scholarship Program. He supported many local institutions, including the United Way of North Central Massachusetts, Applewild School, Lawrence Academy, the Fitchburg Art Museum, the Thayer Symphony Orchestra, Fitchburg State University, Mount Wachusett Community College, the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts, HealthAlliance Hospital, and the Boys & Girls Club of Fitchburg and Leominster.
Ansin was also a proud supporter of the ACLU of Massachusetts, which named him “Chairman for Life,” and LGBTQ causes such as the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders (GLAD).
Ansin received two prestigious awards for his philanthropic efforts: The National Alexis de Tocqueville Society Award for Community Service from the United Way of America in 1999 and the Icon Award by Mass Equality in 2012.
According to his obituary notice, when asked about his most significant achievement, Ansin would say, “Teaching my children and grandchildren to swim.”
A celebration of life is being planned for the fall.
Gifts in memory of Ansin can be made to the Ronald M. Ansin Foundation and sent to Kimberly Ansin, 64 Gibson Road, Ashburnham, MA 01430.
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