Through his marketing campaigns, government relations, and ability to manage a powerful group of franchisees, the former Budget CEO is credited with propelling the brand “into the major league of car rental.”
A celebration of life will be held Sunday at 2:00 p.m. at Crimson, at the main pool entrance inside Red Rock Hotel and Casino.
During his career, Bentley operated as a Thrifty Car Rental licensee in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and as an Ace affiliate in Jacksonville and Augusta, Ga.
Pat Crahan, Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA) member and chairman of the Light Truck Rental Council (LTRC), passed away on Dec. 31 after a brief illness. Crahan was 89 years old.
Greg Janik, president of the Automotive Fleet & Leasing Association (AFLA) from 1986-1987, passed away on Sept. 8. He was 74. Janik was a long-time member of AFLA and a strong supporter of the fleet industry.
The top 10 Auto Rental News stories of 2016 from newsletter traffic covered several topics including personnel changes, financial reports, the rise of ride-hailing services, and a class-action suit.
Ed Bobit, founder and chairman of Bobit Business Media, and publisher of Automotive Fleet magazine and many other media brands, passed away June 29 at the age of 86.
Kairalla, who passed July 1 while vacationing with family, was a founding member and past and current president of the South Florida Auto Rental Association, as well as owner and president of Datura Auto Sales and Rentals, where he worked for more than 50 years.
Robert A. Smalley, Sr., was a mentor, a legend in the industry and the man responsible for the powerhouse that Hertz is today.
Smalley began his early auto rental career in the mid 1930's helping out his grandfather at his fledgling car rental agency on Miami Beach. From here, Smalley made a long-time impact at Hertz Corp. and launched a national RV rental company that now boasts a fleet of more than 4,000 RVs.