• Industry leader John D. Rock dies

    John D. Rock, a member of the board of directors and chairman of the nominating and governance committee for Rush Enterprises, died on Friday, November 16, 2007 after a short battle with cancer
    Nov. 21, 2007
    2 min read

    John D. Rock, a member of the board of directors and chairman of the nominating and governance committee for Rush Enterprises, died on Friday, November 16, 2007 after a short battle with cancer.

    Rock was elected to the Rush board in April 1997, following his retirement from GM, where he worked for 36 years. Rock held positions as vp of the Oldsmobile Division and head of the GMC Truck group, and also oversaw operations at the company’s Holden Division in Australia.

    “Professionally, I have known John for more than 25 years since his days as head of the GMC Truck group,” said W. Marvin Rush, chairman of Rush Enterprises. “During that time, he became a personal best friend and trusted colleague. While at GM, John was always an advocate for dealers. He was an independent thinker but always operated fairly and with a dealer’s best interest and success in mind.”

    “John Rock was a man of principle, and could always be counted on to do the right thing, whether or not it was an easy or politically correct decision,” said W. M. “Rusty” Rush, president & CEO of Rush Enterprises. “He understood that the strength of a dealer organization was crucial to the success of the manufacturer, no matter the nameplate. He could always be counted on to cut through any bureaucracy to get things done for the dealer, both during his time at General Motors and as a member of our Board.”

    Voice your opinion!

    To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of FleetOwner, create an account today!

    Sign up for our free eNewsletters

    Latest from Operations

    4126654 | Phartisan | Dreamstime.com
    driver retention
    Turnover and its causes are expenses we like to ignore or accept as the cost of running a trucking company. In a market like today’s, investing in retention doesn’t mean spending...
    Brakebush Transportation
    Brakebush Transportation was awarded the 2025 FleetOwner Private Fleet of the Year Award, sponsored by Descartes, for midsize operations.
    Members Only
    Leaders of Brakebush Transportation, a century-old family business, share some of their innovative strategies and deep commitments to drivers that earned their operation FleetOwner...
    Schneider
    schneider 90th anniversary
    Schneider hosted an anniversary event, honoring a legacy that began in 1935 and grew to 12,500 trucks today.