Tribute to Don Charron

All of us at Kimball Electronics mourn the loss of our longtime Chairman, CEO, and dear friend Don Charron. At the same time, we celebrate and honor Don for his deep personal and engaging commitment to his family, his community, and our Company. Don was a strong believer in doing the right thing and shaped our Guiding Principles, and we are forever grateful for his warmth, positivity, generosity, and tireless work that contributed so much to our collective successes. Don was beloved, and everyone who worked with him will cherish his life and the legacy that he left us.

Just after the announcement of Don’s retirement, Robert Phillippy, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kimball Electronics, put it best, “It is hard to put into words the profound impact Don had on each of us, and the Company. Under his leadership spanning 24 years, Kimball Electronics grew from a division of its parent company to a publicly traded, global enterprise with annual revenues rapidly approaching the $2 billion threshold. Don’s achievements are countless, highlighted by decades of consistent performance and profitable growth, awardwinning customer service levels, and a strong corporate culture that is routinely recognized in the industry as Kimball Electronics’ competitive advantage. That culture started with Don, and his passion to always do the right thing. He consistently treated others with respect and dignity and created an environment where we all can be a better version of ourselves. On behalf of the Board of Directors, and the entire Kimball family worldwide, I want to thank Don for his dedication and service to our Company throughout an illustrious career.”

Within our Company, Don is remembered as an approachable leader, role model, and mentor. Everybody learned something from Don, and he made sure that everyone he interacted with felt important— coworkers around the world, customers, Share Owners, friends, and the communities in which we operate. We will feel his imprint on Kimball Electronics and our industry for years to come and will always remember and honor Don for the indelible mark he left on the electronics industry, our global Kimball family, and the Jasper community. We share our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew and loved him.