Warren Avis, founder of Avis Rent A Car,
died last week of natural causes at his home in Ann Arbor, Mich. He
was 92.
Capitalizing on the
young but burgeoning airline industry, Avis pioneered the
establishment of car rental locations at airports.
Avis, a decorated
bomber pilot with the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, opened
his first car rental location at Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti,
Mich., in 1946 with an $85,000 investment, including $10,000 of his
own money.
Soon after, he
opened another airport car rental location in Miami.
By 1953, the car
rental company was beginning to franchise its operations in Europe,
Canada and Mexico.
In 1954, Avis sold
his interest in the company for $8 million.
Avis Rent A Car has
changed hands several times over the years.
Today, the company,
now known as Avis Rent A Car System, is part of Avis Budget Group,
an independent firm spun off by Cendant Corp. last year.
Cendant had owned
Avis since 2001.
Avis is survived by
his wife, Yanna; three children from a previous marriage, Wendy
Avis-King, Wayne Avis and Warren Avis Jr.; six grandchildren; and
one great-grandchild.
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