San Gabriel Valley : Street Renamed to Honor Victim of Croatia Crash

The city of Pasadena has renamed a street in memory of Leonard J. Pieroni, chief executive officer of the city’s largest company--Parsons Corp.--who died in the plane crash last week in Croatia along with Commerce Secretary Ronald H. Brown and 33 others.

In an emotional ceremony at Monday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Bill Paparian told Pieroni’s widow, Marilyn, his son, daughter and other family members that a stretch of De Lacey Avenue, one block north of Union Street that runs into the massive Parsons complex, will be dedicated as Leonard J. Pieroni Street.

“Len for me was always a special person. He was a down-to-earth guy, unassuming with integrity,” said Paparian, recalling how he and the chairman of the engineering and construction giant had lunch together at a local deli a few weeks ago.

Len Pieroni III, son of the late chairman, tried to hold back his emotions as he accepted the honor.

“We’d like to thank the community and all of those who showed their support to us,” he said.

The Parsons mechanical engineer said his father enjoyed living and working in the area and the family was honored by the city’s tribute to him.

Pieroni, 57, had risen through the ranks over 24 years to become Parsons chairman and CEO in 1990. He was among U.S. business executives touring the former Yugoslavia with Brown to explore opportunities in the rebuilding of the war-torn region. Their plane crashed April 2 near the Dubrovnik airport.

His funeral is Friday at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church in La Canada Flintridge.