"The Normandin name has come to represent not only entrepreneurial success but generosity in community leadership. In a region often defined by what is new and next, the Normandins remind us that endurance, integrity and long-term commitment matter just as much as innovation."
"Amable Normandin buggy-manufacturing shop opened 150 years ago and then did a very Silicon Valley thing and pivoted when cars came along a few decades later. Now, the multi-generation business occupies a landmark spot on San Jose's auto row on Capitol Expressway."
"In addition to running the family business, he deepened the family's civic engagement—helping found Heritage Bank of Commerce and supporting Catholic education causes as well as social service organizations like Martha's Kitchen, where he remained a regular volunteer into his later years."
The San Jose Chamber of Commerce held its Leaders and Legacy dinner, attended by nearly 500 people, to balance honoring organizational history with contemporary relevance. The chamber presented the Legacy Leader Award to the Normandin family, whose transportation business has operated in the Santa Clara Valley since 1875. Beginning as a buggy-manufacturing shop, the family business adapted to changing markets by transitioning to automobiles and now operates on San Jose's auto row. The award also recognized Lon Normandin, who passed away in December 2025 at age 91. Beyond running the family enterprise, Normandin deepened civic engagement by helping found Heritage Bank of Commerce and supporting Catholic education and social service organizations including Martha's Kitchen. Chamber leadership emphasized that the Normandin legacy represents enduring values of integrity, long-term commitment, and community generosity alongside entrepreneurial innovation.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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