Walter L. Jacobs
Walter L. Jacobs · Economics & Business
Founded the world's first rent-a-car business in Chicago in 1918 with twelve Ford Model Ts; sold it to John Hertz and ran the Hertz Corporation until 1960.
1896, Chicago, Illinois, United States — 6 February 1985, Miami, Florida, United States
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Walter L. Jacobs is recognized among Jewish contributors to Economics & Business — Founded the world's first rent-a-car business in Chicago in 1918 with twelve Ford Model Ts; sold it to John Hertz and ran the Hertz Corporation until 1960.
In 1918, at twenty-two, Walter Jacobs bought a dozen Ford Model Ts, painted and repaired them himself, and invented an industry: the world's first rent-a-car business. Five years later his fleet numbered 600 cars and a million dollars a year in revenue; he sold to John Hertz in 1923 but never left the wheel, running the company — as president and chief operating officer of the Hertz Corporation — until his retirement in 1960.
Every airport counter and every rental key in the world descends from his twelve Model Ts. His funeral was held at Miami's Temple Israel (UPI, 1985), the congregation of a man who built quietly and belonged plainly.
Verify and go deeper with these external references.
Source: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/02/06/Hertz-founder-dies/1826476514000/
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Founded the world's first rent-a-car business in Chicago in 1918 with twelve Ford Model Ts; sold it to John Hertz and ran the Hertz Corporation until 1960.
Source: https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/02/06/Hertz-founder-dies/1826476514000/
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