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Former Idealease CEO Bill Kennedy Passes Away
- By: Shannon Davison
- On: 06/28/2022 16:04:39
- In: Press Releases
Alexandria, VA – June 28, 2022 – It is with great sorrow that TRALA announces that long-time Idealease visionary Bill Kennedy, passed away a few weeks ago after a short illness at the age of 84.
Bill was a member of the TRALA Board of Directors for more than 20 years upon his ascension to Idealease President and CEO.
Immediately after graduating from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, Bill answered an International Harvester advertisement for a sales trainee and was hired for their truck division after initially thinking the ad was for the farm equipment division. That kickstarted a 57-year career in the trucking industry. While at Navistar International (formerly International Harvester Company), Bill received promotions to positions of increasing responsibility, achieving Vice President, North American Sales in 1979.
During Bill's time at Navistar, he envisioned a full-service truck leasing and rental organization built on the foundation of International Truck Dealers in North America. The basic idea was to financially strengthen the International Truck distribution (dealership) network through the full-service lease and rental model. Idealease was officially established in 1982 and is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year as the largest dealer-owned leasing and rental organization in the industry.
Bill resigned from Navistar International in 1988 and joined Idealease, Inc. in June of that year as President and Chief Executive Officer. He remained in that capacity growing the truck leasing business in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Bill retired from his executive position in 2010. Bill was not ready to fully retire though and stayed on to help build Idealease's Used Truck Department to assist the organization in wholesaling off-lease and off-rental trucks. Bill officially retired in 2015.
TRALA wishes to send its condolences to the Kennedy family, members of Idealease, and all that knew him. His impact on TRALA and the overall truck renting and leasing industry was substantial and our association owes a great debt of gratitude for all he accomplished to help TRALA expand and grow into the organization it is today.
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About TRALA
Based in Alexandria, VA, TRALA is a voluntary, nonprofit national trade association organized in 1978 to provide the unified and focused voice for the truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA's membership includes nearly 500 leasing and rental firms and 100 suppliers that make up nearly the entire truck renting and leasing industry. TRALA members annually purchase approximately 30 percent of all Class 2 through 8 over-the-road commercial trucks and tractors operating in the U.S. today. You can now reach TRALA on Facebook @TRALAorg, Twitter @TRALAorg, and LinkedIn @TRALA.