October 15, 2008

Contact:   Anna Mitchell

Earl Hesterberg was a football coach’s dream and an opposing team’s worst nightmare.  Standing at 6-feet-3-inches tall and weighing 200 pounds, number 58 was a force to be reckoned with.  His muscular physique and keen playing sense proved the old adage that “size (and smarts) is everything.” 

Hesterberg was strong and solid, just like an offensive lineman should be.  At center, “Hes” had an impressive senior campaign and was a part of the Wildcat team that played football powerhouses like Wake Forest and the U.S. Air Force Academy.  Respected in all football circles, the Wildcat offense was ranked third nationally in passing during Hesterberg’s junior year.

Hesterberg graduated from Davidson with a degree in psychology.  Beyond football and academics, he was active on Patterson Court as a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.  He earned his MBA from Xavier University in Ohio in 1978.

Currently, Hesterberg is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Group 1 Automotive, Inc., a Houston-based Fortune 500 specialty retailer and a top five-dealer group in the U. S. car market.  Prior to joining Group 1, Hesterberg was the Group Vice President, North America Marketing, Sales and Service for Ford Motor Company.  Earlier, he served as Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Service for Ford of Europe.  He has also served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Gulf States Toyota.  Hesterberg is probably best known for his four year tenure as Vice President, General Manager of Nissan Division from 1991 – 1995.  He was named Advertising Age Marketer of the Year in 1993 for leading the launch of the all-new Nissan Altima; a launch described by The Wall Street Journal as the “best new model launch in automotive history”.

He is a vital part of the Board of Directors of the Greater Houston Partnership, a local non-profit organization dedicated to building regional economic prosperity. 

Hesterberg has remained engaged at Davidson, having served on the Board of Visitors and on the Southern California regional campaign committee during The Campaign for Davidson.  A valuable leader, donor, and fan of the Davidson Athletic Foundation, he was a member of the steering committee for the renovation and expansion of Richardson Stadium.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Hesterberg now lives in Houston, Texas with his wife Susan and sons Brian and Matthew.  His daughter Jamie `06 married former Wildcat football player Michael Iafrate `07.  Like his father-in-law, Mike played center for Davidson.  Currently, the Iafrates live on Long Island, New York where Mike coaches college football.