Leon S. Peters

{{Short description|Businessman from Fresno, California}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Leon Peters

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| birth_date = {{Birth date|1905|10|28}}{{cite interview |last=Peters|first=Leon|title=Interview of Leon Peters |url=http://digitized.library.fresnostate.edu/cdm/ref/collection/LSPeters/id/567 |access-date=2022-10-12 |work= |publisher=Fresno County Free Library |location=Fresno, California |date=1973-05-30 |interviewer-last=Suhler|interviewer-first=Sam}}

| birth_place = Fowler, California

| death_date = {{death date and age |1983|11|26 |1905|10|28 |df=yes}}{{Cite web |title=Memorial service program :: Leon S. Peters Papers |url=http://digitized.library.fresnostate.edu/cdm/ref/collection/LSPeters/id/256 |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Fresno State Library}}

| death_place = Fresno, California

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| occupation = Businessman and Philanthropist

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| employer = Valley Foundry
Central California War Industries

| spouse = Alice Peters

}}

Leon S. Peters was a businessman, licensed engineer, and philanthropist in California's San Joaquin Valley. Peters was born in 1905 in the city of Fowler, California to Samuel and Lily Peters who were Armenian immigrants from Bitlis.{{Cite web |title=Leon S. Peters {{!}} Friends of the Fresno Fair - Armenian Exhibit |url=https://www.armeniansfresno.com/peters.php |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=www.armeniansfresno.com}}{{Cite web |title=Leon S. Peters Papers |url=http://digitized.library.fresnostate.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/LSPeters |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Fresno State Library}}{{Cite web |last= |date=2011-01-25 |title=Fresno State friend, benefactor Alice A. Peters dies at 97 |url=https://www.fresnostatenews.com/2011/01/25/fresno-state-friend-benefactor-alice-a-peters-dies-at-97/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Fresno State News |language=en-US}} Between 1926 and 1929 Peters worked for his uncle's grape packing business where he would be recruited as a salesman for Valley Foundry and Machine Works. In 1940 Peters purchased the company from its owners. During World War II Peters became the president of the Central California War Industries company which was later awarded the Army-Navy E award.{{cite report |title=Problems of American Small Business Hearings Before the Special Committee to Study and Survey Problems of Small Business Enterprises |date=1943-05-11 |publisher=United States Government Printing Office}}{{cite interview |last=Tolan |first=John |subject-link= |title=Oral History Interview with John H. Tolan, Jr. |url=https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/oral-histories/tolanj |access-date=2022-10-12 |work= |publisher=Harry S. Truman Library |location=San Francisco, California |date= |interviewer-last=Fuch |interviewer-first=John R}} After the war he continued his role in manufacturing as President of Valley Foundry and Machine Works and became known for helping raise money for the expansion California State University, Fresno and the Community Medical Center.{{Cite book |title=The Sheriff's Review |publisher=Fresno County Sheriff's Office Relief Association |year=1969 |editor-last=Lawless |editor-first=Gerald |location=Fresno, California}}{{Cite web |date=2002-02-07 |title=Biographical note from Fresno Community Hospital :: Leon S. Peters Papers |url=http://digitized.library.fresnostate.edu/cdm/ref/collection/LSPeters/id/930 |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Fresno State}} Known for being active in the local community Peters was a member of the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, Masons,{{Cite web |date=1983 |title=Resume :: Leon S. Peters Papers |url=http://digitized.library.fresnostate.edu/cdm/ref/collection/LSPeters/id/2787 |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Fresno State}} and Rotary; in 1955 he founded the Leon S Peters Foundation.{{Cite web |last=Roberts |first=Andrea Suozzo, Ken Schwencke, Mike Tigas, Sisi Wei, Alec Glassford, Brandon |date=2013-05-09 |title=Leon S Peters Foundation - Nonprofit Explorer |url=https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/946064669 |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=ProPublica |language=en}}