Obituaries: We lost the leaders of the automotive industry in 2021

At the time, NADA leaders, including Edwards, said they chose to settle with the Justice Department rather than face litigation they said cost at least $ 1million. dollars to defend, according to an October 1995 article in Automotive News.

In the settlement of September 20, 1995, NADA admitted no wrongdoing, promised not to break the law, paid no fines, and accepted 10 years of scrutiny from the Justice Department.

Edwards kicked off his year as NADA president by describing himself as Automotive News as a “negotiator” and saying he wanted to improve dealership relationships with automakers.

“You don’t have to ‘give them hell’ in speeches to deal with the maker,” Edwards said. “I think you can do more by sitting with them in a closed room and giving them your side and listening to their side and trying to find a compromise.”

Baseball star Hank aaron was only a car dealership for seven years, but he made his mark in the showroom as well as in the batter’s box.

The Major League Hall of Fame, philanthropist and civil rights spokesperson passed away Jan. 22 at the age of 86. After retiring from baseball in 1976, he became an entrepreneur, opening 17 fast food franchises and launching the Hank Aaron Automotive Group.

The Atlanta-based automotive group consisted of Hank Aaron BMW, Hank Aaron Mini, Hank Aaron Honda, Hank Aaron Toyota, Hank Aaron Jaguar and Hank Aaron Land Rover.

In 2004, he was named Car Dealer of the Year by Black company, and his group ranked No. 15 on the magazine’s car dealer list in 2006, with revenues of $ 136.7 million.

When former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez embarked on his own automotive adventure, Aaron advised him on automotive retailing, saying, “You have to put in the time. don’t, it won’t work. “

Aaron sold his stores and retired again in 2008.

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