His extravagances reportedly offended Mr. Ford. Besides his sister, nephews and niece, Iacocca is survived by two daughters, Kathryn Iacocca Hentz and Lia Iacocca Assad; another niece and eight grandchildren. According to Lehigh University, for which Lia became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2016, she has been married to Victor for 27 years. MIKE BLAKE / Agence France-Presse/GETTY IMAGE. Lee Iacocca, founding chairman of the American Family Immigration History Center, speaks during opening ceremonies on April 17, 2001, at Ellis Island in New York.
He nurtured managers who challenged conventional wisdom and solicited ideas from dealers and unions. She was 49. 
He was the only executive in modern times to preside over the operations of two of the Big Three automakers, Ford and Chrysler. Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Iacocca and Peggy Johnson attend a party in New York in September 1985. This gave Iacocca the breathing room he needed to revamp and streamline operations. He fired Mr. Iacocca in July 1978, saying he just did not like him. He was mobbed by admirers and pursued by the press. However after 19 monhts of marriage he had it annulled. - Lee Iacocca. The Lee A. Iacocca Institute Endowment Fund will be established as a matching gift of $4 million. He was chairman of The Iacocca Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization he established in 1984 that is dedicated to educational projects and the advancement of diabetes research. They had two daughters. A private jet flew Penn States president to the Rose Bowl. For years he opposed airbags, mandatory seatbelts and other safety items, insisting they did not sell cars. They had two children, Kathryn Iacocca Hentz and Lia Iacocca Assad, who survive him, as do his sister, Delma Kelechava, and eight grandchildren. [39] The name of the character is his birth name, which was not used in the public sphere due to the trouble of mispronunciation or misspelling. Born: October 15, 1924. The Iacocca magic, like Chryslers earnings, faded as the nation dipped into recession. 113 Copy quote. Lee Iacocca was the iconic automaker who helped create Ford models including the Escort and Mustang. Lee Iacocca. In 2000, Iacocca founded Olivio Premium Products, which manufactures the Olivio line of food products made from olive oil. Today these structures house the College of Education, the biology and chemical engineering departments, and The Iacocca Institute, which is focused on global competitiveness. [34] In 1999, Iacocca became the head of EV Global Motors.[35]. In 1988, Iacocca co-authored (with Sonny Kleinfeld) Talking Straight,[22] a book meant as a counterbalance to Akio Morita's Made in Japan, a non-fiction book praising Japan's post-war hard-working culture. MORNING CALL FILE PHOTO / MORNING CALL FILE PHOTO. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Iacocca endorsed New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for President in the 2008 presidential election. He took a leave to attend Princeton on a scholarship, and after earning a masters degree in mechanical engineering in 1946 returned to Ford. Who paid for it? The guaranteed loans were repaid in four years, seven years early. Allentown, Pennsylvania. Iacocca led Chrysler's acquisition of AMC in 1987, which brought the profitable Jeep division under the corporate umbrella. Im not asking you to buy any car on faith. WebMarriages and family. Iacocca arrived shortly after Chrysler's introduction of the subcompact Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon. Ford Mustang Iacocca Silver 45th Anniversary Edition, "Iacocca, Away From the Grind, Still Has a Lot to Say", "Lee Iacocca, Visionary Automaker Who Led Both Ford and Chrysler, Is Dead at 94", "Lee Iacocca, the auto-industry titan who saved Chrysler from bankruptcy and launched the Ford Mustang, has died. They had two children, Kathryn Iacocca Hentz and Lia Iacocca Assad, who survive him, as do his sister, Delma Kelechava, and eight grandchildren.
Hired as an engineer by the Ford Motor Company, he quickly proved that he was better suited for sales. He was one of the main patrons of the research of Denise Faustman at Massachusetts General Hospital. Things are going to be O.K. Parker Hentz, one of Iacocca's grandchildren, recalled sharing sweets with his "poppy," who ate black licorice "by the handful," and enjoyed his Dewar's with a splash of water. Updates? He is survived by two daughters and eight grandchildren. In the next eight years, as gasoline prices and foreign competition rose, Mr. Iacocca cut costs, streamlined operations and turned unprofitable divisions around. He is survived by two daughters and eight grandchildren. Americans were buying cars at a record clip again, including Chryslers new minivans and compacts. WebLee Iaccoca was president and chairman of the board of the Chrysler Corporation from 1979 to 1992. Chrysler rebuffed it and canceled plans to name its headquarters and technology center in Auburn Hills, Mich., after Mr. Iacocca, whose action was portrayed as a betrayal of the company he had rescued. Mr. Iacocca in 1983 celebrating the final payment on the $1.2 billion Chrysler had borrowed with a government guarantee. (2007). Iacocca also moved up the ranks at Ford, becoming a vice president and general manager of the Ford division by 1960.
Two books written by Iacocca, his 1984 autobiography Iacocca and Talking Straight (1988), became best-sellers. But he always filled the ballpark.. Allentown native Lee Iacocca never realized how famous he was, his 97-year-old sister said. [33] They produced E-Bike SX, which became the first widely popular electric bicycle in the US. After a thirty-two year career with Ford Motor Company, including eight years as president, Lee Iacocca engineered one of business history's greatest comebacks at Chrysler Corporation. All Rights Reserved. He hit home runs and he struck out a lot. Kathryn graduated from Middlebury College and studied Italian, Spanish, and French. CNN values your feedback 2 post, reporting only to the chairman, Henry Ford II. Kleinfield, then a reporter for The Times, and Where Have All the Leaders Gone? (2007) with Catherine Whitney. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his two daughters, Kathryn and Lia, from his first marriage and his grandchildren. As an executive, he revived the Chrysler Corporation in the 1980's. Mary met her husband while they worked together at Ford in 1948.
Iacocca was married to Mary McCleary on September 29, 1956. Mr. Iacocca succeeded Mr. McNamara as vice president and general manager of the Ford Division in 1960, and four years later secured his place in automotive history by bringing out the Mustang, a small, rakish car with bucket seats and a floor shift that appealed to affluent young buyers and motorists of all ages who had dreamed of owning a sports car. Now is the time to show your stuff. WebLee Iacocca Biography. His career changed the course of the US auto industry. Iacocca retired as the chairman of Chrysler in 1992, and is credited with saving the automaker from bankruptcy. The marriage was annulled in 1987. The LIFE Images Collection, via Getty Images. In 1984 he created the Iacocca Family Foundation to fund studies about the disease. He produced other winners the Maverick to compete with imports, the Lincoln Continental Mark III to challenge G.M.s Cadillac Eldorado. Iacoccas increasing influence at Ford was hastened by his successful promotion of the sporty yet inexpensive Mustang. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. [52] Fictional businessmen and middle managers, such as Michael Scott on The Office, have been shown reading Iacocca's books and attempting to emulate his methods. She studied at the prestigious Cordon Bleu cooking school of France and has owned several restaurants in Southern California, including Panama Reds in Brentwood and Santa Barbara. Iacocca's image was also invoked by rival automaker Ford in the marketing campaign for the 1993 Mercury Villager minivan, which depicted a competing car company led by an unhappy boss with a physical resemblance to Iacocca viewing the Villager with consternation because it is outselling their minivan. WebThe Iacocca Family Foundation has made a $5 million gift to endow the Iacocca Institute and support global initiatives. 113 Copy quote. In July 2005, Iacocca returned to the airwaves as Chrysler's pitchman,[1] along with celebrities such as Jason Alexander and Snoop Dogg, to promote Chrysler's "Employee Pricing Plus" program; the ads reprise the "If you can find a better car, buy it" line, Iacocca's trademark of the 1980s. The great issues facing us today are not Republican issues or Democratic issues.
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Increasing influence at Ford in 1948 and General manager of the Lehigh University board the!In 2012, he endorsed Mitt Romney for president.[48]. Lido Anthony "Lee" Iacocca (/a.kok/ EYE--KOH-k; October 15, 1924 July 2, 2019) was an American automobile executive best known for the development of the Ford Mustang, Continental Mark III, and Ford Pinto cars while at the Ford Motor Company in the 1960s, and for reviving the Chrysler Corporation as its CEO during the 1980s. The high amount of publicity that Iacocca received during his turnaround of Chrysler made him a celebrity and gave him a lasting impact in popular culture. He was chairman of The Iacocca Family Foundation, a philanthropic organization he established in 1984 that is dedicated to educational projects and the advancement of diabetes research. These included cars ultimately introduced by Chrysler the K car and the minivan. Mary Iacocca died from type 1 diabetes on May 15, 1983. Iacocca appealed to the federal government for aid, gambling that it would not allow Chrysler to fail when the national economy was already depressed. He was named president of Ford in 1970, but his brash, unorthodox manner led to his dismissal in 1978. Iacoccas youngest daughter confirmed he passed away of natural causes Tuesday. However, the straight-talking Iacocca clashed with Henry Ford II, scion of the Ford family and chairman of the auto company. We all knew that Lee designed it, OConnell said. Lee Iacocca, vice president of the Car and Truck Group at the Ford Motor Co. in Detroit, (standing), and Donald S. Frey, general manager of the Ford group, with a Ford Mustang.
Politically, Iacocca supported the Republican candidate George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. [51] Iacocca's success serving as Chrysler's pitchman influenced other companies to feature executives in their marketing, such as how fast food chain Wendy's has successfully utilized company founder Dave Thomas as a corporate mascot since the early 1990s. Although Ford's European subsidiary was already selling such a model (the Ford Escort), a team of Ford designers was assigned to create the exterior and interior of an entirely new car, which would be named Pinto. Chrysler released the first of the K-Car line, the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, in 1981. Parker Hentz, one of Iacocca's grandchildren, recalled sharing sweets with his "poppy," who ate black licorice "by the handful," and enjoyed his Dewar's with a splash of water. Its Jeep Grand Cherokee was introduced in 1992, the year Mr. Iacocca retired, and became one of the biggest sellers in Chrysler history. [17], In 1995, Iacocca assisted in billionaire Kirk Kerkorian's hostile takeover of Chrysler, which was ultimately unsuccessful.
They dated for 8 years prior to their nuptials. In 1985, Iacocca received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards.[49]. Darried was 42 at the time of their wedding, she was previously married and is the mother of three children. He attended Lehigh University in neighboring Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where he graduated with a degree in industrial engineering. But he outmaneuvered rivals for the executive suite and was named president of Ford in 1970, the No. The political parties can debate the means, but both parties must embrace the end objective, which is to make America great again. He also impressed a Ford recruiter and was hired for an executive training program. He also heard anti-Italian slurs in streets and schoolyards. He retired from Chrysler in 1992. Several months later, Mr. Iacocca joined Chrysler. She was 57. Mr. Iacocca at his home in Bel Air, Calif., in 2005. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Iacocca died on July 2, 2019, in Bel Air, California. Lee Iacocca poses in a replica of the car Henry Ford completed in 1896, which is on display in the lobby of the Ford Motor Company's headquarter's in Dearborn, Mich. Lee Iacocca relaxes in his office at Chrysler Corp. headquarters in Highland Park, Mich. Iacocca, the tireless driver behind the restoration of Chrysler Corp. Lee Iacocca, the automotive industry legend, died on July 2, 2019, in the Bel-Air section of Los Angeles. Wives He was first married to Mary McCleary from 1956 until her passing in 1983.
He introduced topics such as health care costs, and the United States' lag in developing alternative energy sources and hybrid vehicles. With tens of millions of copies in print, it still regales readers with its intimate look at the auto industry of Mr. Iacoccas day, its cast of larger-than-life characters, its accounts of the authors dismissal at Ford and his rescue of Chrysler. I want you to compare., [Fusing his identity with his companys to sell cars and win over Washington, Lee Iacocca was a celebrity C.E.O. Despite the thwarted takeover attempt, Iacocca resumed his role as a Chrysler pitchman in 2005, appearing in ads with Jason Alexander and Snoop Dogg. Lee Iacocca born in Allentown. He was 94. Lee Iacocca, the automobile industry legend who served as the president of Ford Motor, died at 94-years-old. Iacocca became a national celebrity. It was the best selling non-fiction hardback book of 1984 and 1985. Ford Motor Co. executives Donald Frey, left,and Lee Iacocca pose with a 1960 Falcon, left, and a 1965 Mustang in March 1965. I was born to immigrant parents and was fortunate to become successful at an early age." Television commercials and news photographs had made him one of the nations best-known faces, an oval of grandfatherly features: a balding pate, a fleshy nose, mischievous eyes behind half-rim glasses, thin lips chomping an imported cigar, and a bland political smile that gave away nothing. It backfired. It was always his hometown: Lee Iacoccas, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), It was always his hometown: Lee Iacoccas family and others recall auto giants Lehigh Valley roots, Evacuation kits: What to put in a go-bag, plus what supplies to keep at home and in the car, Church sex abuse report gives voice to survivors: I just want the darkness to finally come to light, Report shows astonishing depravity in sexual abuse of more than 600 in Baltimores Catholic archdiocese. Wives He was first married to Mary McCleary from 1956 until her passing in 1983. Iacocca was an advocate of "Nourish the Children", an initiative of Nu Skin Enterprises,[38] since its inception in 2002, and served as its chairman. But he was restless for action. WebLee Iacocca Biography. Iacocca died on July 2, 2019, in Bel Air, California. After retiring, Mr. Iacocca moved to Bel Air, Calif., where he invested in electric bicycles, olive oil and other ventures and promoted diabetes research. [44][45], In his 2007 book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone?, Iacocca described how he considered running for president in 1988 and was in the planning stages of a campaign with the slogan "I Like I", before ultimately being talked out of it by his friend Tip O'Neill. Mr. Iacocca preparing to film a TV commercial at an assembly plant in 1983. Iacocca died on July 2, 2019, in Bel Air, California. To obtain the guarantee, Chrysler was required to reduce costs and abandon some longstanding projects, such as the turbine engine, which had been ready for consumer production in 1979 after nearly 20 years of development. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}What Sonny Vaccaro Did After Nike Air Jordan Deal. Mr. Iacocca with his wife, Mary, in 1974. Allentown, Pennsylvania. It pains me to see my old company, which has meant so much to America, on the ropes. Iacocca's second marriage was to Peggy Johnson. [42][43] His funeral was held on July 10, 2019, at St. Hugo of the Hills Roman Catholic Church and he was buried at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, Michigan. [36] Iacocca continued to serve on the board of the foundation until his death. Family and others who knew Iacocca recalled the car baron with the personality of an assembly-line worker who demonstrated a determination and perseverance to improve his lot in life. Iacocca also worked with Kirk Kerkorian on an attempted hostile takeover of Chrysler in the mid-1990s. And, is a member of the Lehigh University Board of Trustees. The loan guarantee debate, Chryslers subsequent return to health, and the publication of his best-selling autobiography conferred mythic status on him as the nations economic Winston Churchill, Doron P. Levin, a former reporter and Detroit bureau chief for The New York Times, wrote in Behind the Wheel at Chrysler (1995). Lee Iacocca. The foundation was founded in 1984 in honor of Iacoccas first wife. [27] He started a merchant bank to fund ventures in the gaming industry, which he called "the fastest-growing business in the world". [24][25], Iacocca partnered with producer Pierre Cossette to bring a production of The Will Rogers Follies to Branson, Missouri, in 1994. Then he had a clever idea for a sales pitch. The Iacocca family was like many other Depression-era families who watched over each other, Iannelli said, and Lee Iacocca brought pride not only to the rest of the Iacoccas but the many other Italian families who lived in parts of Seventh, Ninth, Liberty and neighboring streets. Legendary American businessman Lee Iacocca passed away this week at the age of 94. All of Allentown is very proud of what he accomplished in his life.. In this March 28, 1990, file photo, Chrysler Corporation Chairman Lee Iacocca sits in a 1990 Dodge Viper sports car as the Chrysler in the 90's six city tour makes a visit to New York. He helped donate a generator for the Malawi VitaMeal plant. He was first married to Mary McCleary from 1956 until her passing in 1983. Trying to reverse the decline, Mr. Iacocca established partnerships with Mitsubishi, Maserati and Fiat, but they were no panacea. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his two daughters, Kathryn and Lia, from his first marriage and his grandchildren. He married for the third time in 1991 to Darrien Earle. Viewing: From 2-8 p.m. Tuesday at Lynch and Sons Funeral Home in Clawson. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Iacocca appeared in commercials for Olivio. Leadership, Funny Inspirational, Communication. The company posted a $1.8 billion profit that year. According to Lehigh University, for which Lia became a member of the Board of Trustees in 2016, she has been married to Victor for 27 years. He left Chrysler in 1992 but returned for an ad campaign in 2005. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Lee Iacocca, the car industry legend who created the iconic Ford Mustang and saved Chrysler from bankruptcy, has died at the age of 94. Allentown, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Osamu Honda, File). Its used for events, research and collaboration among students, faculty and visitors. Mary met her husband while they worked together at Ford in 1948. Iacocca's compensation for the commercials was sent to his foundation. Peggy Johnson became Lees second wife in 1986. And through his vision for the Iacocca Institutes Global Village and the Iacocca International Internships, Simon said, Lee made it possible for the world to come to Lehigh and our students to have life-changing educational experiences that prepared them to thrive on the world stage. After a brief stint in engineering, he asked to be moved to sales and marketing, where his career flourished. Lee A. Iacocca, an ambitious immigrants son and salesman extraordinaire whose blunt and swaggering persona dominated the automobile industry like nobody since Henry Ford, died Tuesday. No one wants Chrysler to survive more than they do. He sat on the board of the merged company until stepping down in 1999. He had reveled in the glitzy perquisites of his lofty position at Ford, traveling in a private Boeing 727 and entertaining in lavish suites. The Mustang was the hottest-selling new car model in Detroit history, ringing up $1.1 billion in net profits over two years. And he puts on his sunglasses, and we just sat down and everybody came over, she said Wednesday, sitting in a dining room of her Bethlehem home to reminisce the day after her 94-year-old brother died due to complications from Parkinsons disease. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. She was a Pan Am flight attendant and part-time publicist when she met her husband.The two were married April 17, 1986, by Cardinal John OConnor at St. Patricks Cathedral in New York. On December 3, 2007, Iacocca launched a website to encourage open dialogue about the challenges of contemporary society. Iacocca was strongly courted by Chrysler at a time when the company appeared to be on the verge of going out of business and had just sold its loss-making Chrysler Europe division to Peugeot in an effort to generate cash because the company was losing millions already in North America. During Iacoccas tenure, the popular minivan was added to the Chrysler vehicle lineup. They married on April 17, 1986, but in 1987, after nineteen months, Iacocca had the marriage annulled. The car is a foot shorter and 1,000 pounds lighter than other standard Ford. In the 1970s and 80s, with Detroit still dominating the nations automobile market, his name evoked images of executive suites, infighting, power plays and the grit and savvy to sell American cars. Mary worked as a receptionist at the Ford Motor Companys Philadelphia office. In 1986 he married Peggy Johnson, a former flight attendant. In 1987, the company that had nearly failed posted sales of $26 billion and sat on a $3 billion cash cushion. In 1956, Mr. Iacocca married Mary McCleary, a Ford receptionist in Chester. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [26], In 1993, he had joined the board of MGM Grand, led by his friend Kirk Kerkorian. In an April 2009 Newsweek interview, Iacocca reflected on his time spent at Chrysler and the company's current situation. Every day I talk to dealers and managers, who are passionate and full of ideas. Iacocca was married to Mary McCleary on September 29, 1956. Born: October 15, 1924. [21] Iacocca donated the proceeds of the book's sales to type 1 diabetes research. These are the folks on the front lines, and they're the key to survival. He accomplished it with a controversial $1.5 billion federal loan guarantee, won by convincing the government that Chrysler was vital to the national economy and should not be allowed to fail, and with concessions from unions, new lineups of cars, and a new national spokesman himself featured in a decade-long television advertising campaign. After her death, Lee founded the Iacocca Family Foundation. In addition to his acting role in Miami Vice, Iacocca also made appearances on Good Morning America, Late Night With David Letterman and the 1985 Bob Hope TV special Bob Hope Buys NBC? Let's face it, if your car breaks down, you're not going to take it to the White House to get fixed. Iacocca led the fundraising campaign to enable Lehigh University to adapt and use vacant buildings formerly owned by Bethlehem Steel, including Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop Campus of Lehigh University. The two men masterminded the plan to present the Mustang as a sports car for the masses. By this time, AMC had already finished most of the work on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which Iacocca wanted. They had two daughters. He couldnt hide.. Anyone can read what you share. They had two children, Kathryn Iacocca Hentz and Lia Iacocca Assad, who survive him, as do his sister, Delma Kelechava, and eight grandchildren. Lee Iacocca, byname of Lido Anthony Iacocca, (born October 15, 1924, Allentown, Pennsylvania, U.S.died July 2, 2019, Bel Air, California), American automobile executive who was president (197892) and chairman of the board (197992) of Chrysler Corporation, credited with reviving the foundering company. His career changed the course of the US auto industry. Mr. Iacocca, who had taken only $1 as compensation in the first year after winning the loan guarantee, was now the industrys most highly paid executive, with salary and stock options worth $18 million. But by the late 1980s, storm clouds that Mr. Iacocca and other auto executives had long ignored were gathering. Iacocca responded by finding new sources of credit and by trimming operations, closing plants, and persuading labour unions to accept layoffs and wage cuts. While attending Allentown High School, he suffered a severe case of rheumatic fever. He was fired on July 13, 1978, even though the company posted a $2 billion profit for the year. He is survived by two daughters and eight grandchildren. Four years later in 1994, the two divorced. WebLee Iaccoca was president and chairman of the board of the Chrysler Corporation from 1979 to 1992. President of Lehigh University's board of trustees Harold S. Mohler with commencement speaker Lee A. Iacocca, chairman and C.E.O. In the 2004 presidential election, however, he endorsed Bush's opponent, Democrat John Kerry. One of Iacoccas accomplishments was helping to bring the iconic Mustang an affordable, stylish sports car to the market in 1964. Former Chrylser Chairman Lee Iacocca speaks at the Bob Hope Memorial Tribute at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in Los Angeles in 2003. An additional $1 million match will support Lehighs overall global initiatives. It was debt-ridden, losing millions and had virtually no credit. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Besides his sister, nephews and niece, Iacocca is survived by two daughters, Kathryn Iacocca Hentz and Lia Iacocca Assad; another niece and eight grandchildren. WebThe Iacocca Family Foundation has made a $5 million gift to endow the Iacocca Institute and support global initiatives. He was 94. Polls at the time confirmed that he had a realistic chance of winning.[2]. Also from Ford, Iacocca brought to Chrysler the "Mini-Max" project, which, in 1983, bore fruit in the highly successful Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. Iacocca suffered a serious bout of rheumatic fever as a child, and as a result he was found medically unfit for military service in World War II. Iacocca's success in turning Chrysler around made him a national celebrity. Here, Chrysler Corporation Chairman Iacocca sits in a 1990 Dodge Viper sports car as the "Chrysler in the '90s," a six-city tour which highlights Chrysler's effort to overcome Japanese competition, makes a visit on March 28, 1990, to New York. He decided to change his foreign-sounding first name to Lee, a serious concession for a young man proud of his ethnicity. of the Chrysler Corp. in 1983. After losing his first wife in 1983, Iacocca married Peggy Johnson from 1986 to 1987. Later, he headed Chrysler, helping turn the company from near failure to great success. Put their passion and ideas to work.
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