"Chasing Excellence: How Leon Stok’s Unexpected Journey at IBM Shaped a 30-Year Legacy"

We were eating ice cream as Leon told me about the last 30 years of his life. Leon Stok , a man who never intended to stay in America—he was just here for one short year in Yorktown, NY, chasing his PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology—found himself on a path that would alter his life forever. He planned to return home to the Netherlands, but life often has other plans.

IBM reached out to him when he least expected it. He wasn’t even sure if he could work for them. His advisor had told him he had one more year to go, but they worked it out—finish the PhD on his time while working. Just one more hurdle remained: his two-month vacation approval. Funny how things go; had IBM not approved it, he would have returned to the Netherlands - that vacation ultimately led him to stay in America and at IBM.

In the 90s, like many software developers at the time, Leon began writing in C#. It was the language of the moment, and he had a passion—no, a drive—for producing quality work. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his words. You don’t meet many people like Leon, who fell asleep at his friend's desk in those early days because he was so engrossed in his work, so determined to make something exceptional. IBM, with its multiple departments—software, hardware, all of it—became his playground. It gave him room to explore his curiosity until he found his true calling.

Moreover, Leon never planned to rise through the ranks the way he did. He never anticipated becoming the VP of EDA (Electronic Design Automation) at IBM. No, he wasn’t chasing titles. He was chasing excellence. That’s the difference. He kept focusing on perfecting his technical skills, honing his craft, and pushing boundaries. And as people came and went at IBM, Leon stayed the course.

Doors open to those who are deeply focused on the task at hand. When you're fully immersed in your work, opportunities arise—not because you’re chasing them, but because you're ready for them when they do.

As we wrapped up our conversation, Leon offered me some advice—advice that I think every developer, every person for that matter, should hear: “No one wants someone who does the bare minimum. Work hard. Your boss may see it, and that may hold you back, but so will everyone else.” When you’re doing the right thing, when you’re putting in the effort, people notice. You don’t have to make a big show of it. The results will speak for themselves.

As he walked away, I couldn’t help but reflect on his journey. People like Leon are the reason companies like IBM thrive. They stick it out. They push forward, not with loud ambition, but with a quiet determination to be better. That’s how greatness is built—one dedicated individual at a time.