Edward Brown III, a former banking government who spent the final decade of his profession main Hendrick Automotive Group as CEO, died April 3 at age 74.

Brown had non-Hodgkin lymphoma, in accordance with an obituary revealed by the Charlotte Observer.

Brown joined Hendrick Automotive, one of many nation’s largest dealership teams, in 2010 as its CFO, and firm officers mentioned at the moment that he would grow to be CEO in January 2011. Brown had retired six years earlier from a protracted profession as an government at Financial institution of America and banks it had acquired.

Rick Hendrick, chairman of the dealership group, mentioned on the time of Brown’s appointment that he was chosen for his monetary administration expertise and group involvement. Brown changed Jim Huzl as CEO in 2011. He retired from Hendrick on the finish of 2019, and Rick Hendrick assumed CEO duties for the group at the moment.

Brown’s obituary named Rick Hendrick as one in every of six mentors within the former government’s life who stood out. “Whereas serving beneath Rick Hendrick, he taught me in regards to the pleasure of giving again to others,” Brown mentioned, in accordance with the obituary. Hendrick Automotive didn’t instantly reply to requests from Automotive Information for touch upon Brown’s demise.

Hendrick, of Charlotte, N.C., ranks No. 7 on Automotive Information’ record of the highest 150 dealership teams primarily based within the U.S., with retail gross sales of 89,974 new automobiles in 2022.