LeRoy Transfield is a sculptor who gained national and international attention for his work in 2017. His designs, “Soldier’s Charge” and “Poppies in the Wire,” were unanimously selected as the winning design for the front and back of the 2018 World War I American Veterans Centennial silver dollar. The U.S. Mint will strike 400,000 silver coins emblazoned with his designs. He had two uncles who served in WWI as members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force Native Contingent. Revenue from the sales of the commemorative coin will go to the nonprofit U.S. Foundation for the Commemoration of the World Wars. The organization plans to put the funds toward the National World War I Memorial at Pershing Park in Washington, D.C.

LeRoy was commissioned by the Polynesian Cultural Center to create a life size statue of Kahili Hamana, known as the originator of the world famous “Shaka” sign. The Life-size sculpture stands at the Entrance to the Polynesian Cultural Center today.

Transfield was born in New Zealand and is of Māori and European heritage. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Brigham Young University-Hawaii. After his graduation he taught sculpture and then opened a studio in Utah, where he lives with his wife, Kelly, and children.