Richard (Dick) Loehr (1943 - 2008) began his
successful career as a race car driver for the champion Ford drag
racing team. He was not only a successful racer from 1961 through
1971 but also the Captain of the Ford Drag Racing Team. For ten
years Dick raced for the best and won thousands of races. In 1971, Ford left the racing industry and so did Dick.
Dick stayed in the automotive industry and started
his own car dealership and RV lot in Portage, MI. He owned and operated
his successful RV lot from 1971 through 1979. Concurrently, he was
active helping his car dealership grow and prosper. He eventually
opened a second dealership that became one of the largest dealerships
in Kalamazoo, MI. His dealerships were home to nine different franchises
and hundreds of loyal employees. His dealerships sold 145,000 cars
generating millions of dollars for the automotive industry.
Dick was an active leader in the automotive
industry and the community he grew up in and prospered. He was president
of the Kalamazoo American Cancer Chapter, president of the New Car
Dealers Association, president of the Jeep Ad Council, president
of the Chrysler Ad Council, a director on the board of Yugo America, a member
of the dealer council of Volvo America, president of the Mazda dealer
council, president of the dealer council of American Motors, director
of Michigan auto dealers association, a member of the advisory board
to turn around Chrysler and helped raise money for the restoration
of the Statue of Liberty. He stayed active in the automotive industry
until 1990 when he sold both dealerships and moved to South Florida.
1992 through 1995 Dick was a multi restaurant
owner in South Florida. He owned and operated 9 restaurants and
employed hundreds of people.
In 1996 Dick began developing a company to provide
benefits and services, now called membership savings. Dick designed
a one of a kind savings program that would allow anyone who owns
a package to enjoy similar discount buying power as a Fortune 500
company. In 1997, he provided his membership savings & services
to a small direct selling company. In 1999 Dick purchased the marketing
plan and associate group from that direct selling company to form
the National Companies now known as Team National.
Dick battled cancer for 10 years, always with
a smile and a positive attitude. He passed away on May 13th, 2008.
His legacy and positive spirit lives on in his family and his wife
MaryLou.