Industry Leader & Citizen of Distinction

Felix E. Wright, son of Felix S. and Opal J. Wright was born in Boyce, Texas on October 1, 1935. He moved to Carthage in 1975 when he was appointed Senior Vice President & Group Manager of bedding components with Leggett & Platt, Inc. Felix is married to Margaret Snyder and has four children and four stepchildren.

After graduating high school in Ennis, Felix earned a business degree from East Texas State University in 1958 and was then hired at Leggett & Platt by Harry Mack Cornell, Jr. in 1959 as customer service manager at the company’s Ennis, Texas spring operations plant. He later worked his way through the ranks as a General Manager, VP, Senior VP and Executive VP of various plants and divisions across the country. By 1979, Wright was Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of Leggett & Platt, and became President in 1985. He served on the Board of Directors from 1999 until his retirement in 2008, serving as Chief Executive Officer from 1999 until 2006, and as Chairman of the Board from 2002 until May 2008. Wright authored 14 points of the Leggett Culture, which emphasized the importance of ethical behavior, honesty and customer service, and he believed that great leaders must be great listeners.

Felix served the industry in many ways, having been president of the Suppliers Council of the National Association of Bedding Manufacturers and the American Innerspring Manufacturers Association. He was elected to the American Home Furnishings Hall of Fame.

Locally, Felix was a member of the Board of Directors of Boatmen’s Bank of Carthage, served on the Advisory Board of the Kent and Mary Steadley Memorial Trust for 25 years and was one of the first board members of Carthage Community Foundation, serving for 8 years. He has generously supported the Fair Acres Family YMCA, Mercy McCune-Brooks Hospital Chapel, Carthage R-9 School District Multi-purpose Athletic Building and many other organizations and causes in the community. In retirement, he enjoys spending time on his farming and ranching operation, as well as with family.