It was 60 years ago on a rainy winter afternoon that Jack Taylor started a car leasing business. He invested his entire savings ($10,000 and the help of a loan), his future and his career into the new venture. In a tiny lower-level office in a St. Louis Cadillac dealership, he began with a fleet of seven cars, one employee and a commitment to provide a uniquely personal brand of customer service.
The first leasing contract was signed in February 1957, and Jack delivered the customer a bronze-colored Chevrolet Bel Air hardtop coupe. With the leasing of that first car, Executive Leasing was in business, and, as they say, the rest is history.
Jack’s philosophy even at the very beginning was simple yet powerful –
Take care of customers and employees first, and profits will follow.
60 years later, our employees still embrace Jack’s philosophy of customer service first. Much has changed over the years, but two things will never change … our commitment to customers and employees, and the values with which we operate our business.
Because of the growth and success of our brands and businesses, we are able to give many people a rewarding place to work. We are able to give back time and money (nearly $270 million from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation since its inception) to the communities we call home.
We are able to ensure millions of people each day are able to get where they need to go through our total transportation solution.
The Enterprise Holdings story is about humble origins, hard work and a simple idea – Treat people the way you would treat them if they were your friends and neighbors. The Enterprise family has grown from a small band of salespeople in the basement of a car dealership to the global industry leader we are today. Yet we all still hold firmly to the roots which have served us well throughout our history.
Happy 60th birthday!