Thursday, February 21, 2008

Dead Page-- Renting Cars-- Warren Avis

Warren Avis (1915-2007)

Car rental innivator

Former pilot founded Avis Rent A Car, the first such company to be located at airports, then went on to create other businesses

Warren Avis, 92, died April 24, 2007.

He was a decorated WWII pilot and formed his car rental company in 1946 at airports inMiami and Ypsilanti, Mi, with an investment of $85,000, two employees and less than 200 cars.

Mr. Avis got the idea when he was a pilot and couldn't find any ground transportation once he arrived at an airport. This grew into what became the world's largest car rental system before it was overcome by Hertz. In 1954, he sold his interest for $8 million.

April 25, 2007 Chicago Tribune "Car rental innovator" by AP.

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