March 29, 2024

It belongs… somewhere

Former Maytag CEO donates artifacts to museum, laments company closure

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Leonard Hadley was in the middle of dropping off framed images and other artifacts of his past to the Jasper County Historical Museum when a former employee and co-worker recognized him.

“I thought I heard a familiar voice,” the man said, extending his arm outward to shake hands with the former CEO of the Maytag Corporation. If I heard correctly, he told Hadley he worked for the industrial engineering department, a place Hadley worked closely with during his earlier years at the washing machine manufacturing company in Newton.

At first, Hadley didn’t say anything. It took the 85-year-old a few seconds to remember who the guy was that Monday afternoon. But he accepted the man’s greeting and nodded politely in return, acknowledging it had probably been 20 years or so since they had last seen each other.

“Oh yeah! How ya doin’? … Well, I’m just bringing some old stuff in here. I’m a museum piece myself, you know. So I’ll fit right in!” Hadley said. The retired businessman is rather chipper and quick to joke in the right circumstance. His age seems to always be the butt of the joke, telling me that Father Time had been cruel to him. I wouldn’t know about that yet, he tells me.

Surrounded by some of Maytag’s former appliances and merchandise, the two men parted ways fairly quickly. I suppose that former industrial engineer returned to look through the museum’s exhibits and displays, but all I know for sure is that Hadley went right back to the trunk of his car. There was still work left to do.

Hadley wanted to get rid of everything stashed inside that vehicle. There, laying face down on the upholstery, were several large picture frames that used to be hung up on the walls of the Hadley household. One depicted an old Maytag washing machine, painted all pretty like by an artist. Hadley included information about the artist when he donated the piece to the museum staff.

Another image, which looked like it was originally hand drawn, featured scenes from famous buildings in Newton, like the Jasper County Courthouse, the old Maytag headquarters and the Bergman house, which is still standing along First Avenue. I believe there was even an old rendering of Hotel Maytag plastered somewhere on the piece, maybe near one of the corners.

Then there was an exceptionally large frame which showcased the different covers from Maytag’s annual reports. When standing upright the piece reached Hadley’s collar bone. It was a magnificent specimen, a real knockout decoration in Hadley’s man cave. But in there it was collecting dust, and the man had no more use for it. Had to go.

So Hadley grabbed the frame and placed it neatly on the museum’s library table on the top floor. I helped carry in some of those actual annual reports, bound together in black leather and paper that had since faded to varying shades of yellow. Some of the reports date as far back as the 1920s, when L.B. Maytag, the son of Maytag Company founder F.L. Maytag, was serving as the business president.

Hadley talked about every item he and I carried in that day. Every piece had a story and, by god, he was going to tell it to me. After speaking with Hadley a handful of times, I think I can say that is just how he is. Quick questions were met with long answers, much to my delight. The shortest amount of time we’ve ever spoken was 18 minutes over the phone.

But let’s back up a bit. About a month ago, Hadley had called me at the office out of the blue. I had never met him before in my life. Truthfully, I had no idea who Leonard Hadley was, even after learning a little bit of Maytag history from a retired maintenance department head for Maytag Plant 2 a couple days before his initial call.

Luckily, Hadley was quick to tell me who he was over the phone, sensing I was probably too young to remember his tenure in the 1990s. He sensed right. I was much too young. By the time Hadley was CEO, my mother was probably still trying to decide whether to name me “Tyler” or “Christopher.” That’s my clever way of saying I wasn’t born yet.

Anyways. Hadley told me he was moving and had a collection of items from his Newton days he wanted to get rid of. Of course, he wasn’t asking that I be the person to adopt these artifacts as my own and raise them in my personal man cave. No, no. He asked if I could help him contact the right people to get rid of them.

After reading some of my articles, Hadley wondered if I might get in touch with the museum director, the docents or board members to schedule a time for him to drop off these items that, he felt, belonged in Newton. He told me he wanted to reduce the volume of his belongings, anticipating a move in the near future.

“When I left the company, there were lots of kindnesses extended to me and things that were given to me that were of a personal nature,” Hadley said. “Other things were more of a company nature. I felt, as I approach downsizing how we live from a standalone residence to something more modest in size — a condo or something — in the next several years, these items would be of interest to some people in the Newton community.”

Once I had contacted Bill Perrenoud about Hadley’s request, the museum executive director told me it was OK for him to deliver his antiques and framed images to the facility.

On some of the items Hadley left sticky notes, noting that if the museum had no need for a particular artifact then perhaps DMACC or Progress Industries or Hotel Maytag Apartments & Events Center might instead. These were not the types of mementos to pass down to family members, he said, so bringing them back to Newton made sense.

Even an old Wall Street Journal article, which features a drawn portrait of Hadley, had no real sentimental value to him. Not now anyway. Hadley shrugged and said the Wall Street Journal didn’t expect him to succeed as CEO. “Sounds like my kindergarten teacher,” he said with a laugh. Of course, he would later tell me he didn’t have a kindergarten teacher.

An extraordinary memento was an old LIFE magazine issue from December 1949. A number of pages were dedicated to Newton and Maytag, which Hadley thought was “just amazing.” The headline read: “Mr. Maytag: The big man of Newton faces up to his responsibilities.” Large, black-and-white photographs capture the vibrant and happy lives cultivating in Newton at the time.

Hadley did not have second thoughts dropping off these items. No hard goodbyes. No tears. They had given him much enjoyment through the years, but their time was up. In his possession no longer, Hadley placed the artifacts on the table and walked away unfazed. But not without looking through some of the museum’s displays before leaving town.

Several Maytag exhibits caught his eye. He took his time walking through the aisles of the museum, taking in the scenery and the artifacts arranged behind glass displays. His childlike stroll through the museum soon turned solemn. We spoke about Maytag’s demise. It had been 20 years since he left the company. I sensed there was some guilt.

“I still have deep regrets and some lack of understanding as to why the company failed and was sold,” Hadley told me. “It was only seven years after I retired. There were two CEOs that succeeded me and the first only lasted 15 months. Then the board asked me to come back to work.”

Hadley returned and filled the seat until a replacement was found. A pinch hitter. And when a new guy was hired, Hadley stepped back into his retired life and moved away from Newton. He didn’t want to feel like he was looming over the new CEO like some menacing storm cloud waiting to burst.

Prior to visiting the museum, Hadley drove around town and reacquainted himself with Newton. He spotted the new businesses that had moved in and the other changes in aesthetics since the Maytag Corporation was purchased by Whirlpool and left town for good almost 12 years ago.

Hadley, who now lives in Cedar Rapids, also noted the two houses he once owned were still well taken care of, which should make the missus happy. He continued his drive and found himself in the town square. A brief nostalgia trip before saying goodbye to the artifacts packed in the back of the car.

Then he drove past the old Maytag office building.

There is no escaping it, I thought. Even when it’s long gone, Maytag still finds its way back into Hadley’s life somehow, ready to shake his hand.

Editor’s Note: “History Lesson” is a weekly series inspired by the Jasper County Historical Museum’s 40-year anniversary. Newton Daily News will publish a story every Friday (until the museum is closed for the season) featuring the people who work to preserve and promote the region’s past endeavors, while also showcasing the historical and educational significance of artifacts and exhibits on display in the museum.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com