Grand Rapids Community College

A self-made man in every respect, Les Tassell began his illustrious career with humble beginnings. It was here in Grand Rapids that he began the long, successful journey that led him to become a contented family man whose hard work not only provided a great legacy for his children and grandchildren, but enhanced the community around him.

His family emigrated from Europe to Canada when Tassell a young child. Later, they headed south to the United States where he began learning the tool-and-die trade at age 15 sharpening saw blades and running errands. In between fetching tools and doing menial tasks, he learned to work in the metal arts. This enabled him to find work in Pontiac when the Great Depression hit and caused layoffs in Grand Rapids.

Weathering the Depression and WWII on the east side of the state, he took advantage of the post-WWII economic boom by investing with a partner in a machine-and-tool company. Little more than a decade after that venture began, he opened up a new facility on 150 acres of land located at the corner of 32^nd St. and Shaffer Avenue SE. The Leslie Metal Arts Co. specialized in tool-and-die services, and quickly became better known as "Lescoa".

Lescoa grew to become a $220 million company with a staff of nearly 2,000. The success of the company is largely attributable to Tassell’s philosophy that one must care about employees and the work they’re doing in order to have a productive working relationship. In keeping with this family atmosphere, Tassell made sure that his workers received bonuses when he finally sold the company in 1999.

Before he passed away on March 19, 2004, Tassell divided his time between his estate in Cascade Township and his marina in the Florida Keys. Though his pace had slowed, he was as tireless and diligent as ever, devoting a few hours a day at the office to keeping tabs on Lescoa’s operations as part of Meridian Automotive Systems.

As a generous philanthropist, he has made large contributions to build the educational resources of West Michigan. His benevolence enabled Grand Valley State University to build not only an engineering building, but a health professional building as well.

Les Tassell knew the value of education, innovation and hard work, saw the great opportunity that a facility like the Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC^SM provides for the community. For all of these things, Grand Rapids Community College is proud that the M-TEC^SM building in downtown Grand Rapids bears the name of Leslie E. Tassell.