Henry Caruso
Encyclopedia
Henry J. Caruso is an American
businessman and founder of Dollar Rent A Car.
Of Italian heritage, Caruso was born in Pennsylvania. His father, August Caruso, worked in the landscape business and decided that the weather in the Mid-Atlantic was problematic and moved the family to Los Angeles, California
in the mid-1920s. They first moved to East Los Angeles
but soon settled in the Silver Lake
neighborhood where Henry and his brothers, Albert and Lawrence, were raised. He enrolled at the University of Southern California
(USC) in 1939 with plans to study medicine, but left to join the US Navy
Air Corp and earned the distinction of Navy Pilot LTJG. He returned to USC after the war to finish his studies.
Caruso entered the car business by acquiring a number of new car dealerships, including from General Motors
, Ford and Chrysler
. He founded Dollar Rent-A-Car in 1966. After opening five locations, he was determined to open lucrative airport locations; however the "big three" car rental companies, Hertz
, Avis
and National
, had already established location in airports and made it difficult for the new company to enter the market. This led to a legal fight in the 1970s that caused the Federal Trade Commission
to take action and prohibit any practices that discriminated against small companies vying for airport locations. Under his 20 years of guidance it grew to be the fourth largest car rental
agency worldwide with over 1,400 locations. He sold the company to the Chrysler Corporation in 1990 (it is now a part of the Dollar-Thrifty Automotive Group).
Caruso was also the head of Caruso Affiliated
, which owned his car dealerships, and HJC Investments Corporation, an investment company.
Caruso lives with his wife Gloria in Beverly Hills, California
. He has two sons- Rick J. Caruso
, a prominent builder and retail operator and owner and CEO of Caruso Affiliated
, which has built and owns and operates such retail propertes as The Grove at Farmers Market
and The Americana at Brand
. and Marc Caruso, a Los Angeles musician and music producer.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman and founder of Dollar Rent A Car.
Of Italian heritage, Caruso was born in Pennsylvania. His father, August Caruso, worked in the landscape business and decided that the weather in the Mid-Atlantic was problematic and moved the family to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in the mid-1920s. They first moved to East Los Angeles
East Los Angeles (region)
East Los Angeles is the portion of the City of Los Angeles that lies east of Downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles River and the unincorporated areas of Lincoln Heights, west of the San Gabriel Valley, East Los Angeles and City Terrace, south of Cypress Park, and north of Vernon, California and...
but soon settled in the Silver Lake
Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California
Silver Lake is a hilly neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California east of Hollywood and northwest of Downtown Los Angeles. Silver Lake is inhabited by a wide variety of ethnic and socioeconomic groups, but it is best known as an eclectic gathering of hipsters and the creative class.The...
neighborhood where Henry and his brothers, Albert and Lawrence, were raised. He enrolled at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC) in 1939 with plans to study medicine, but left to join the US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Air Corp and earned the distinction of Navy Pilot LTJG. He returned to USC after the war to finish his studies.
Caruso entered the car business by acquiring a number of new car dealerships, including from General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, Ford and Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. He founded Dollar Rent-A-Car in 1966. After opening five locations, he was determined to open lucrative airport locations; however the "big three" car rental companies, Hertz
The Hertz Corporation
Hertz Global Holdings Inc is an American car rental company with international locations in 145 countries worldwide.-Early years:The company was founded by Walter L. Jacobs in 1918, who started a car rental operation in Chicago with a dozen Model T Ford cars. In 1923, Jacobs sold it to John D...
, Avis
Avis Rent A Car System
Avis Rent a Car System, LLC is a car rental company headquartered in Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, New Jersey, United States. Avis, Budget Rent a Car and Budget Truck Rental are all units of Avis Budget Group....
and National
National Car Rental
National Car Rental is a rental car company based in Clayton, Missouri. National was founded by 24 independent rental car agents on August 27, 1947...
, had already established location in airports and made it difficult for the new company to enter the market. This led to a legal fight in the 1970s that caused the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
to take action and prohibit any practices that discriminated against small companies vying for airport locations. Under his 20 years of guidance it grew to be the fourth largest car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
agency worldwide with over 1,400 locations. He sold the company to the Chrysler Corporation in 1990 (it is now a part of the Dollar-Thrifty Automotive Group).
Caruso was also the head of Caruso Affiliated
Caruso Affiliated
Caruso Affiliated is a real estate development company in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. Rick J. Caruso is the company's President and Chief Executive Officer.It is known particularly for building higher-end outdoor shopping centers....
, which owned his car dealerships, and HJC Investments Corporation, an investment company.
Caruso lives with his wife Gloria in Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. He has two sons- Rick J. Caruso
Rick J. Caruso
Rick J. Caruso, founder and chief executive officer of Caruso Affiliated, is a developer and retail operator who has designed and built properties in Southern California...
, a prominent builder and retail operator and owner and CEO of Caruso Affiliated
Caruso Affiliated
Caruso Affiliated is a real estate development company in Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. Rick J. Caruso is the company's President and Chief Executive Officer.It is known particularly for building higher-end outdoor shopping centers....
, which has built and owns and operates such retail propertes as The Grove at Farmers Market
The Grove at Farmers Market
The Grove is a retail and entertainment complex in Los Angeles, California, built, owned, and operated by Rick J. Caruso and his company Caruso Affiliated on parts of the historical Farmers Market.-History:...
and The Americana at Brand
Americana at Brand
Americana at Brand is a large outdoor shopping community in Glendale, California. The property was built and is owned and operated by Los Angeles businessman Rick J. Caruso and his company Caruso Affiliated. Caruso Affiliated has built and operates of many other projects including The Grove at...
. and Marc Caruso, a Los Angeles musician and music producer.