Richard Lipsey looks back on a life of business, service and history

Richard Lipsey has spent decades building businesses, supporting Louisiana institutions and taking on prominent civic and educational roles. Now, in his new memoir, Looking Back: 85+ Years of Family, Business, LSU, Community, and the Lone Witness to JFK’s Autopsy, Lipsey reflects on the experiences that shaped his life and career.

The book traces Lipsey’s journey from his family’s arrival in America and his early years in Baton Rouge to a career that made him one of the Capital Region’s most prominent business leaders. It also recounts one of the most unusual chapters of his life: his service in the U.S. Army from 1962 to 1964, when he served as an aide to the commanding general of the Military District of Washington and was involved in the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Lipsey was the only military officer to witness Kennedy’s entire autopsy.

But Looking Back is more than a historical memoir. It chronicles Lipsey’s evolution as an entrepreneur, beginning with the family’s Steinberg Sports Centers and continuing with his 1977 purchase of S&S Wholesale Sporting Goods. He later renamed the company Lipsey’s and built it into the nation’s largest firearms distributor by 2024. His business interests also include Haspel, the New Orleans-born clothing brand dating to 1909, and Lipsey Communications, a chain of more than 300 wireless stores.

The memoir also explores the setbacks that helped define Lipsey’s business philosophy. During Louisiana’s economic downturn in the late 1980s, he closed the family’s retail stores and shifted his focus toward wholesale and firearms, a move that ultimately reshaped the company.

Lipsey’s influence extends well beyond business. A longtime supporter of LSU, he has served on numerous university boards and spent years in higher education leadership, including service on the Louisiana Board of Regents, where he twice served as chair. He was also appointed to the Louisiana State Board of Commerce and Industry and co-chaired the transition team for Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Much of his civic work has focused on cancer care, education and community institutions. He has volunteered with Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center since its inception, served more than 11 years on its board and helped establish its foundation.

Business Report recognized Lipsey as a Hall of Fame laureate in 2012, while Lipsey’s was named the publication’s Company of the Year among businesses with 100 or more employees in 2021. 

Lipsey will discuss and sign Looking Back from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Champions Club at Alex Box Stadium. He is scheduled to make brief remarks at 5:30 p.m. The event is open to the public.