Henry Ford, creator of the Model T Ford motorcar and one of the most important figures in twentieth century manufacturing and business was a vegetarian. Apparently he even wore suits made of soya beans to show how vegetables could be used to their full potantial.
He was undoubtedly a controversial person who would fire employees caught smoking or cheating on their wives, but he had a definite commitment to his ideas and ideals, famously saying "When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it".