by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
This is another in a series on area executives and political and community leaders who have played prominent roles in the development of Downtown or Jacksonville as a whole over the years. Some are still in the area, working or retired or a bit of both. Some have moved away and are working in other areas of the state or country. This week we catch up with former Independent Insurance Group Chairman and CEO Wilford Lyon.
By the time Wilford Lyon retired from the Independent Life Insurance Company in 1996, he had worked for the firm for 38 years which was, as he put it, “Long before the company even had its own building.”
While in high school, Lyon began his career at the Independent Life and Accident Insurance Company with a summer job working in the company’s printing department. He said he’s sure it helped that his grandfather was one of the company’s founders when it came to looking for a summer job, but Lyon soon discovered he wanted a career in the insurance side of the business.
”At first I was in the actuarial end of the business, then focused on management,” he said.
Lyon also served on the board of directors of many community organizations. He’s a past chair of the Chamber of Commerce and served on the YMCA’s board for 20 years. Lyon is a past-president (1981) of the Gator Bowl Association and a member of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville since that same year.
He said some of the volunteer work he most enjoyed was chairing the capital campaign that brought the upgrade from analog to digital broadcasting to Jacksonville’s Public Television station and chairing the building fund at South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church.
Lyon also served as a member of the Gator Bowl Association for 35 years and chaired the organization for the Dec. 28, 1981 game between the University of North Carolina and the University of Arkansas. It was known as the “fog game” because of the weather conditions, but that’s just one reason Lyon said he will never forget the experience.
“I can’t remember his name, but I remember this safety from Arkansas running around on the field like crazy trying to find the ball when it came out of the fog,” he said. “I’ll never forget going out to the Sea Turtle Inn on Christmas afternoon. I took my son with me just to make a courtesy call on (Arkansas head coach) Lou Holtz. We ended up having key lime pie with him.”
Lyon also said while he was in his executive suite high up in the Independent Life Building, “I never was able to get away for any long period of time. I saved up in my mind places I wanted to go someday.”
Upon his retirement, in addition to continuing to serve the community, Lyon said he and his wife, Eleanor, now have the opportunity to travel to the places he put on that list prior to 1996.
There is quite a collection of stamps inside the couples’ passports including Ireland, Italy, France, Tahiti, Scandinavia and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Lyon said they particularly enjoy cruises and have visited several Caribbean ports and the Panama Canal as well as Alaska. One of the things he now likes to do while on a cruise is go scuba diving any time he has the opportunity. He took up diving three years ago and said it’s not the first time he discovered a love for a sport at his own time in life.
“I was a runner in school, but only competed in the shorter-distance events like the 100-yard dash,” said Lyon. “I didn’t discover long-distance running until I was about 30 years old then I participated in the first 15 River Runs.
“I guess I’m just a late bloomer. Sometimes I’m a little slow, but I’ll get there.”
Other things he did:
•Theatre Jacksonville board of directors
•United Negro College Fund Drive co-chairman
•United Way of Jacksonville board of directors
•American Cancer Society Duval County unit president
•Greater Jacksonville Fair Association director
What’s he doing now?
•Epping Forest Yacht Club Board of Governors
•Travel, scuba diving and running
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