62-538: Specialty Equipment Market Association ( SEMA ) of the automotive aftermarket was formed in 1963 by Paul Schiefer, Roy Richter , Ed Iskenderian , Els Lohn, Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, Robert E. Wyman, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand Jr, Al Segal, Dean Moon , and Vic Edelbrock Jr. Now it consists of 6,383 companies worldwide, bringing together aftermarket manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) , media, car dealers, specialty equipment distributors, installers, retailers, and restoration specialists. The largest of
124-425: A better car, buy it." Iacocca retired as president, CEO, and chairman of Chrysler at the end of 1992. In 1995, Iacocca helped billionaire Kirk Kerkorian attempt a hostile takeover of Chrysler, which was ultimately unsuccessful. The next year, Kerkorian and Chrysler made a five-year agreement which included a gag order preventing Iacocca from speaking publicly about Chrysler. In July 2005, Iacocca returned to
186-526: 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. Talking Straight praised the innovation and creativity of Americans. On April 17, 2007, Simon & Schuster published Iacocca's book, Where Have All the Leaders Gone? , co-written with Catherine Whitney. Iacocca partnered with producer Pierre Cossette to bring
248-481: A casino operator led by his friend Allen Paulson , becoming a major shareholder and later a member of the board of directors. Iacocca founded Olivio Premium Products in 1993. Olivio's signature product was an olive oil -based margarine product. Iacocca appeared in commercials for Olivio. Iacocca joined the board of restaurant chain Koo Koo Roo in 1995. In 1998, he stepped up to serve as acting chairman of
310-565: A consortium of workers, plant managers and dealers to come up with real solutions. These are the folks on the front lines, and they're the key to survival. Let's face it, if your car breaks down, you're not going to take it to the White House to get fixed. But, if your company breaks down, you've got to go to the experts on the ground, not the bureaucrats. Every day I talk to dealers and managers, who are passionate and full of ideas. No one wants Chrysler to survive more than they do. So I'd say to
372-579: A corporate mascot since the early 1990s. 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. 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. In
434-510: A manner similar to Ronald Reagan , period pieces produced in subsequent decades have used images of Iacocca and the Chrysler K-car to invoke the 1980s. The 2009 film Watchmen , which is set in an alternative history 1985, took this in a unique direction by showing Iacocca (portrayed by Walter Addison) being assassinated by the film's antagonists, which has been said to have angered Iacocca when he learned about it. In Ordinary People,
496-657: A national grassroots campaign, to bring Faustman's research to human clinical trials in 2006. Iacocca was an advocate of "Nourish the Children", an initiative of Nu Skin Enterprises , since its inception in 2002, and served as its chairman. He helped donate a generator for the Malawi VitaMeal plant. Iacocca led the fundraising campaign to enable Lehigh University to adapt and use vacant buildings formerly owned by Bethlehem Steel , including Iacocca Hall on
558-648: A number of manufacturers due to lack of space. Over the next few years, the Show grew much larger and soon filled the Convention Center to capacity and was moved to Las Vegas in 1977. Las Vegas was chosen because it provided room for continued growth, dependable weather, big-name entertainment and a world-famous location. In 1977, SEMA's Awards Banquet (run by Sheldon Konblett) was held at the Sands Hotel and featured Norm Crosby. Sheldon Konblett also developed
620-523: A production of The Will Rogers Follies to Branson, Missouri , in 1994. He also invested in Branson Hills, a 1,400-acre housing development. In 1993, he had joined the board of MGM Grand , led by his friend Kirk Kerkorian . He started a merchant bank to fund ventures in the gaming industry, which he called "the fastest-growing business in the world". In 1995, he sold his interests in several Indian gaming projects to Full House Resorts ,
682-626: A reputation as a place where business was expected and completed. As part of the ’70s SEMA Shows, one of the must-attend events was Doris Herbert's Drag News party, which was topped only by the SEMA Awards Banquet. In 1975, the featured entertainers for the Awards Banquet were April Stevens and Nino Tempo . In 1976 (the last SEMA Show to be held in Anaheim), the show was a sellout with 570 booths and, in fact, had to turn away
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#1732779948828744-467: A song from Neil Young released in Chrome Dreams II and Bluenote Café , Lee Iacocca is quoted in the lyrics as a notable representative of the capitalistic world. Iacocca, portrayed by Jon Bernthal , is a major character in the 2019 film Ford v Ferrari , which is a dramatization of the 1960s Ford GT40 program. The film was released shortly after Iacocca's death. Tom Paxton wrote
806-643: Is held at the Las Vegas Convention Center . It is among the largest conventions held in Vegas. The 2013 SEMA Show drew about 60,000 buyers. The displays are segmented into 12 sections, and a New Products Showcase features nearly 2,000 newly introduced parts, tools and components. In addition, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations , special events, networking opportunities and more. The first SEMA Show
868-472: Is required. On August 5, 2020, SEMA announced that its 2020 show would be cancelled for the first time in the show's history, due to the COVID-19 pandemic . The SEMA acronym originally stood for Speed Equipment Manufacturing Association . In 1970, government regulations became an issue and the name was changed to Specialty Equipment Market Association to improve the overall image of the association. It
930-495: The 2008 U.S. presidential election . In the 2012 U.S. presidential election , he endorsed Mitt Romney for president. On December 3, 2007, Iacocca launched a website to encourage open dialogue about the challenges of contemporary society. He introduced topics such as health care costs, and the United States' lag in developing alternative energy sources and hybrid vehicles. The site also promotes his book Where Have All
992-716: The GT awards have been presented at the SEMA Auto Convention, and these include categories such as Best in Show , Best Hot Rod , and Best European Import . SEMA was also presented with the Grassroots Motorsports Editors' Choice Award in 2012. Since 1997, the SEMA Action Network (SAN) has been a grassroots network for the automotive hobby. The SEMA Action Network is a partnership between enthusiasts, vehicle clubs and members of
1054-761: The Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania . Members of his family opened a restaurant, Yocco's Hot Dogs , which has since grown to include four popular store locations in Allentown and its suburbs. Iacocca was reportedly christened with the unusual name "Lido" because he was conceived during his parents' honeymoon in the Lido district in Venice . However, he denied the basis for his christened name in his autobiography, calling it romantic but untrue; his father, Iacocca wrote, travelled to Lido long before his marriage with
1116-596: The Obama administration , don't leave them out. Put their passion and ideas to work. Because of the Chrysler bankruptcy, Iacocca lost part of his pension from a supplemental executive retirement plan, and a guaranteed company car during his lifetime. The losses occurred after the bankruptcy court approved the sale of Chrysler to Chrysler Group LLC , with ownership of the new company by the United Auto Workers ,
1178-524: The Philadelphia district as assistant sales manager, Iacocca gained national recognition with his "56 for '56" campaign, offering loans on 1956 model year cars with a 20% down payment and $ 56 (~$ 628.00 in 2023) in monthly payments for three years. His campaign went national, and Iacocca was called to the Dearborn headquarters, where he quickly moved up through the ranks. On November 10, 1960, Iacocca
1240-610: The U.S. Senate in 1991 after the death of Senator John Heinz , but Iacocca declined. Politically, Iacocca supported the Republican Party candidate George W. Bush in the 2000 U.S. presidential election . In the 2004 U.S. presidential election , he endorsed Bush's Democratic Party opponent, John Kerry . In the 2006 Michigan gubernatorial election , Iacocca appeared in televised political ads endorsing Republican candidate Dick DeVos , who lost. Iacocca endorsed New Mexico governor Bill Richardson for President in
1302-446: The fuel tank to be punctured in a rear-end collision , resulting in deadly fires. In 1978, all 1971–76 Pintos were recalled and had safety shielding and reinforcements installed to protect the fuel tank. 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
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#17327799488281364-627: The "Mini-Max" project, which, in 1983, bore fruit in the highly successful Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager . Henry Ford II had wanted nothing to do with the Mini-Max, a restyled version of the minivan, which Toyota was selling in huge numbers in Asia and Latin America, and his opinion doomed the project at Ford. Hal Sperlich, the driving force behind the Mini-Max at Ford, had been fired a few months before Iacocca. He had been hired by Chrysler, where
1426-584: The 1985 Bob Hope TV special Bob Hope Buys NBC? while concurrently it was common to see depictions of elderly, bespectacled businessmen with charismatic, salesman-like personas, such as in an ad campaign by the Rainier Brewing Company . 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
1488-447: The 1993 model year, the same year that Iacocca retired. Throughout the 1980s, Iacocca, with the help of his longtime friend and advertisement executive, Leo-Arthur Kelmenson , appeared in a series of commercials developed by Kenyon & Eckhardt for the company's vehicles, employing the ad campaign, "The pride is back," to denote the turnaround of the corporation. He also voiced what was to become his trademark phrase: "If you can find
1550-515: The Iacocca Foundation for type 1 diabetes research. In an April 2009 Newsweek interview, Iacocca reflected on his time spent at Chrysler and the company's current situation. He said: This is a sad day for me. It pains me to see my old company, which has meant so much to America, on the ropes. But Chrysler has been in trouble before, and we got through it, and I believe they can do it again. If they're smart, they'll bring together
1612-551: The Italian carmaker Fiat and the governments of the United States and Canada. In 1984, Iacocca co-wrote an autobiography with William Novak : Iacocca: An Autobiography . It was the best selling non-fiction hardback book of 1984 and 1985. The book used heavy discounting, which would become a trend among publishers in the 1980s. Iacocca donated the proceeds of the book's sales to type 1 diabetes research. In 1988, Iacocca co-authored (with Sonny Kleinfeld) Talking Straight ,
1674-621: The Leaders Gone . It provides an interactive means for users to rate presidential candidates by the qualities Iacocca believes they should possess: curiosity, creativity, communication, character, courage, conviction, charisma, competence and common sense. 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. In addition to his acting role in Miami Vice , Iacocca also made appearances on Good Morning America , Late Night With David Letterman and
1736-527: The Mountaintop Campus of Lehigh University. Today these structures house the College of Education, the biology and chemical engineering departments, and The Iacocca Institute, which is focused on global competitiveness. Iacocca played Park Commissioner Lido in "Sons and Lovers", the 44th episode of Miami Vice , which premiered on May 9, 1986. The name of the character is his birth name, which
1798-635: The National Tire Dealers & Retreaters (NTDRA) trade show was combined with the SEMA Show. Affiliating the 77-year-old NTDRA trade show with the SEMA portion of AAIW provided benefits to both sides. In the same year, Goodyear sponsored the first SEMA-NTDRA “Racers’ Night Out” at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. In 1998, the SEMA Show broke the 500,000-foot mark with 502,912 net square feet of rented space. Each year since then,
1860-641: The Omni until the 2.2L engine from the Chrysler K-Car became available. Ironically, some later year base model U.S. Omnis used a French Peugeot -based 1.6L engine. Realizing that the company would go out of business if it did not receive a large infusion of cash, Chrysler approached the United States Congress in 1979 and requested a loan guarantee . Chairman and CEO John J. Riccardo resigned on September 17, 1979, because he believed that
1922-1002: The SEMA Show Industry Awards Banquet. In 1990, the onsite registration fee was increased to $ 20. All exhibitors are eligible to submit an entry into the New Products Showcase at no cost. In 1992, the SEMA/AI Show and the Automotive Service Industry, Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association and Automotive Parts & Accessories Association (ASIA/ MEMA /APAA Show—formerly the Big I/APAA Show) came together to form Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (AAIW) in Las Vegas. The two shows together boasted in excess of 1.6 million square feet of exhibits. In 1997,
SEMA (association) - Misplaced Pages Continue
1984-649: The SEMA events held annually during the first week of November is the SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas , Nevada in conjunction with the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week. As part of this event, SEMA and other automotive aftermarket trade groups make up one of the single largest events on the Las Vegas calendar. This auto show is not open to the public. Registration as media, manufacturer, buyer or exhibitor
2046-529: The Show has set new records of some sort. It now occupies more than one million net square feet, draws more than 3,000 media, and has a buyer attendance in excess of 60,000. The SEMA Show now routinely brings together more than 2,300 exhibitors, occupying in excess of 11,000 booths. Total attendance at the Show now tops 150,000 manufacturers, buyers and other industry representatives, making contacts and doing business. Lingenfelter Performance Engineering|Lingenfelter]] Concept on 4x4 by SG Concepts Since 2003,
2108-622: The Wallace Memorial Fellowship and went to Princeton University , where he earned a master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1946. Iacocca then began his career at the Ford Motor Company , working at first as a Ford engineer. Iacocca joined Ford Motor Company in August 1946. After a brief stint in engineering, he asked to be moved to sales and marketing, where his career flourished. While working in
2170-432: The airwaves as Chrysler's pitchman, 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. In return for his services, Iacocca and DaimlerChrysler agreed that his fees, plus a $ 1 donation per vehicle sold from July 1 through December 31, 2005, would be given to
2232-480: The big Imperial as the company's flagship. The new model had all of the newest technologies of the time, including fully electronic fuel injection and all-digital dashboard. Chrysler introduced the minivan, chiefly Sperlich's "baby", in late 1983. It led the automobile industry in sales for 25 years. Because of the K-cars and minivans, along with the reforms Iacocca implemented, the company turned around quickly and
2294-406: The brother of his future wife. Iacocca graduated with honors from Allentown High School in Allentown in 1942. He attended Lehigh University in neighboring Bethlehem, Pennsylvania , where he graduated with a degree in industrial engineering . At Lehigh University, he was a member of Tau Beta Pi , the engineering honor society, and Theta Chi fraternity. After graduating from Lehigh, he won
2356-488: The company was losing millions already in North America. This was partially due to recalls of its Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare , both of which, Iacocca later said, were among the causes for Chrysler's woes and customer dissatisfaction. Iacocca joined Chrysler and began rebuilding the entire company from the ground up and bringing in many former associates from Ford. Also from Ford, Iacocca brought to Chrysler
2418-424: The company would be more likely to receive government aid under new management. His retirement took effect three days later and he was succeeded by Iacocca. Iacocca was able to obtain the guarantee, but 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. Chrysler released
2480-453: The day prior to the Show's opening attracted anything near the more than 460 who attended. That same year, Willie Nelson was the featured entertainer for the SEMA Awards Banquet. In 1983, the import parts section of the SEMA Show was added under the auspices of sister organization, Automotive International Association, thus changing the name to SEMA/AI Show. In 1984, there was a combined SEMA/AI/APAA Show in Las Vegas. The Industry Awards Banquet
2542-563: The death of Iacocca's wife Mary from type 1 diabetes , he became an active supporter of research for the disease. He was one of the main patrons of the research of Denise Faustman at Massachusetts General Hospital . In 2000, Iacocca founded Olivio Premium Products, which manufactures the Olivio line of food products made from olive oil . He donated all profits from the company to type 1 diabetes research. In 2004, Iacocca launched Join Lee Now,
SEMA (association) - Misplaced Pages Continue
2604-411: The design for the SEMA trophies, which have come to symbolize product innovation and excellence in the industry. In 1979, Nile Cornelison began plans for his Innovations Day seminars program, which has since become one of the major annual association programs. The following year, Innovations Day was a smashing success and featured Lee Iacocca as the keynote speaker. Never before had any activity held on
2666-425: The early 1970s, sophisticated display and marketing techniques were visible throughout the show. At that time, a Show booth cost $ 375.00. The Show moved to a different location—the new and expansive Anaheim Convention Center (across from Disneyland). Booth sales and attendance kept increasing dramatically. The SEMA Show continued to cater to the needs of industry representatives rather than consumers and began to develop
2728-565: The first deliberately designed "World Cars", which resulted in the American and European cars looking nearly identical externally. However, underneath remarkably similar-looking sheetmetal, engines, transmissions, suspensions, bumpers, and interior design were quite different. Initially the U.S. cars even used VW -based engines (while the European models used Simca engines), as American Chrysler did not have an engine of an appropriate size for
2790-512: The first of the K-Car line, the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant , in 1981. Similar to the later minivan, these compact automobiles were based on design proposals that Ford had rejected during Iacocca's (and Sperlich's) tenure. Released in the middle of the major 1980–1982 recession, the small, efficient, and inexpensive front-wheel drive cars sold rapidly. In addition, Iacocca re-introduced
2852-532: The first widely popular electric bicycle in the US. In 1999, Iacocca became the head of EV Global Motors. In May 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed Iacocca to head the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, which was created to raise funds for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty and the renovation of Ellis Island . Iacocca continued to serve on the board of the foundation until his death. Following
2914-532: The introduction of the Mercury Cougar and Mercury Marquis . He promoted other ideas that did not reach the marketplace as Ford products, including cars ultimately introduced by Chrysler: the K car and the minivan . Iacocca also convinced company boss Henry Ford II to return to racing, claiming several wins at the Indianapolis 500 , NASCAR and the 24 Hours of Le Mans . Eventually, he became
2976-465: The operations of two of the United States' Big Three automakers . Iacocca authored or co-authored several books, including Iacocca: An Autobiography (with William Novak ), and Where Have All the Leaders Gone? . Iacocca was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania , to Nicola Iacocca and Antonietta Perrotta, Italian Americans from San Marco dei Cavoti , who settled in the steel producing region of
3038-492: The president of the Ford Motor Company, but he clashed with Henry Ford II. He was fired on July 13, 1978, even though the company posted a $ 2 billion profit for the year. In 1968, Iacocca foresaw the need for domestically produced, small, fuel-efficient vehicles, and proposed a vehicle that weighed less than 2,000 pounds and would be priced at less than $ 2,000 (~$ 17,523 in 2023). Although Ford's European subsidiary
3100-789: The specialty automotive parts industry in the United States and Canada who have collaborated to promote automotive hobby-friendly legislation and laws. In the past, the SAN has: Automotive aftermarket Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 219036406 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:45:49 GMT Lee Iacocca Lido Anthony " Lee " Iacocca ( / ˌ aɪ . ə ˈ k oʊ k ə / EYE -ə- KOH -kə ; October 15, 1924 – July 2, 2019)
3162-406: The troubled company, and led it through a merger with Family Restaurants (owner of Chi-Chi's and El Torito ). He sat on the board of the merged company until stepping down in 1999. In 1997, Iacocca founded Iacocca, a company formed to develop and market electric bikes with a top speed of 15 mph and a range of 20 miles between recharging at wall outlets. They produced E-Bike SX, which became
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#17327799488283224-510: The two would make automotive history together. Iacocca arrived shortly after Chrysler's introduction of the subcompact Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon . Bearing a strong resemblance to the Volkswagen Rabbit , the front-wheel-drive Omni and Horizon became instant hits, selling over 300,000 units each in their debut year, showing what was to come for Chrysler. The Omni was a derivative of Chrysler Europe's Chrysler Horizon , one of
3286-491: Was able to repay the government-backed loans seven years earlier than expected. Iacocca led Chrysler's acquisition of AMC in 1987, which brought the profitable Jeep division under the corporate umbrella. It created the short-lived Eagle division . By this time, AMC had already finished most of the work on the Jeep Grand Cherokee , which Iacocca wanted. The Grand Cherokee would not be released until 1992 for
3348-604: 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. The Pinto entered production beginning with the 1971 model year. Iacocca was described as the "moving force" behind the Ford Pinto . In 1977, there were allegations that the Pinto's structural design allowed its fuel-tank filler neck to break off and
3410-583: Was also warned that bureaucrats in the industry may be turned off by the word "speed," which Corporate Council Earl Kitner felt they may associate with "the swinging generation." SEMA came about as a result of the company Revell Models attempting to fill a gap in industry trade regulation. Its first president was Ed Iskenderian . Other original members of the organization include Roy Richter , Willie Garner, Bob Hedman, Robert E. Wyman, Paul Schiefer, John Bartlett, Phil Weiand Jr., Al Segal, Dean Moon , and Vic Edelbrock Jr. Founding members of SEMA The SEMA Show
3472-558: 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. He was president of Chrysler from 1978 to 1991 and chairman and CEO from 1979 until his retirement at the end of 1992. He was one of the few executives to preside over
3534-526: Was held at the MGM Grand, and the entertainment was provided by The Platters and Gallagher. By all indications, the move to Las Vegas has been an overwhelming success. In 1986, Car and Driver magazine noted that the Show was a “...prime opportunity to monitor the West Coast car culture without breathing the smog or fighting the freeways.” That same year, Jay Leno made his first appearance on stage at
3596-721: Was held in 1967 in the basement of the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles , California before moving to the new Anaheim Stadium in 1974. In 1967 they had 98 manufacturers manning booths and an attendance of 3,000 people. In 1967 there were 5 cars on display, including a 1967 Ford GT40 in the Shelby America booth and a drag-race-prepped Dodge Dart. The early shows, held in Los Angeles and Anaheim, California, were exclusively card-table-and-masking-tape affairs, but by
3658-628: 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 . 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 . Pennsylvania Governor Bob Casey discussed with Iacocca an appointment to
3720-664: Was named vice-president and general manager of the Ford Division; in January 1965 Ford's vice-president, car and truck group; in 1967, executive vice-president; and president on December 10, 1970. Iacocca participated in the design of several successful Ford automobiles, most notably the Ford Mustang , the Continental Mark III , the Ford Escort and the revival of the Mercury brand in the late 1960s, including
3782-473: Was not used in the public sphere due to the trouble of mispronunciation or misspelling. Iacocca was married to Mary McCleary on September 29, 1956. They had two daughters. Mary Iacocca died from type 1 diabetes on May 15, 1983. Before her death, Iacocca became a strong advocate for better medical treatment of type 1 diabetes patients, who frequently faced debilitating and fatal complications, and he continued this work after her death. Iacocca's second marriage
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#17327799488283844-481: Was to Peggy Johnson. They married on April 17, 1986, but in 1987, after nineteen months, Iacocca had the marriage annulled. He married for the third time in 1991 to Darrien Earle. They were divorced three years later. Iacocca resided in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles in his later years. He died at his home on July 2, 2019, at the age of 94. The cause was complications of Parkinson's disease . His funeral mass
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