Old Knightstown

I attended Ball State University earning a B.A. degree in Health and Physical Education in 1961. I married Gail Leaser (KHS class of 1956) August 21, 1961. Gail graduated from Ball State University in 1960. Gail taught elementary school four years before and during our first two years of marriage. She earned her Master of Arts Degree in Elementary Education in 1965 and I completed my master’s degree work in Physical Education and Educational Administration in 1966. I earned my doctorate in Educational Administration (Leadership) in 1977.

We have five children, Brad, Blake, Molly, Bryce and Brock. Brad and Molly live in IN and Blake, Bryce and Brock still live in the Dallas Metroplex area. We have five grandchildren, four girls (Hanna, Emily, Olivia Gail, and Kaitlyn) and one boy (Colton Bryce), ranging in age from 11 to one month old.

I began my professional career as a teacher and coach and moved into school administration as an Athletic Director in 1967. I later served as a high school principal at Westfield Washington High School and at Carmel High School.
I moved into central office administration as an Assistant to the Superintendent for Secondary Education at the MSD of Washington Township (North Central High School district) and was appointed Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education in MSD of Wayne Township (Ben Davis High School district) to head up the peaceful integration of inner city schools to the MSD Township schools across Marion County.

In 1981 we moved to Dallas, TX where I began serving as Vice President for Positive Life Attitudes for America and the Executive Director for Education and Training for the Zig Ziglar Corporation. During my days with the Zig Ziglar Corporation we developed curriculum and educational in-service training for more than 15,000 k-12 schools and colleges across America. The Dallas Independent School District was one of our large clients and we were instrumental in helping to motivate and teach inner city youth to become a success in life. During those days we founded Lexington Academy, a Christian Preparatory School for underachieving students, where I served as a Board member and the Superintendent/Headmaster until 1995.

In the fall of 1995 we moved back to IN where Gail could help her father, Reverend Byron Leaser with assisted care until he developed acute dementia and spent his final three years at the Warren Methodist Home a few miles north of Marion. Bryon passed at age 98. In returning to IN I took a position as chairman of the Masters in Education degree program at Indiana Wesleyan University. I later founded and chaired the School Leadership post-masters degree program and the Doctor of Organizational Leadership program.

I am currently commencing my third year in service as Chief of Staff for President Henry Smith. We live in Country Lake Estates on the edge of the Indiana Wesleyan University main campus in Marion, IN. Indiana Wesleyan University has grown during the past 12 years from a degree seeking student population of about 4,000 students to approximately 15,000 students this fall.
Larry