Jack Fitzgerald, whose fatherly face and gravelly voice was familiar to D.C. area TV viewers who saw his Fitzgerald Auto Malls commercials, has died. He was 89.
Fitzgerald was considered a pioneer in the “no haggle, no hassle” pricing model of offering buyers the dealer’s best price up front, and coined the phrase, “The Fitz Way, there’s just no better way.”
Fitzgerald began his career at age 20 as a door-to-door salesman before becoming a top Ford salesman at Handley Ford in D.C.
He purchased a dealership in Bethesda in 1966 and eventually built a dealership network with more than 20 franchises across Maryland, Pennsylvania and Florida with more than 1,800 employees, including three generations of Fitzgerald family members.
Fitzgerald also made child safety a personal cause through a Child Safety Seat program launched with Montgomery County, training employees as certified NHTSA technicians. To date, Fitzgerald Auto Malls has performed more than 52,000 child safety seat inspections and installations.
He was also a leading voice in restoring dealerships across the country that were closed during the General Motors and Chrysler bankruptcies.
Fitzgerald helped transition Fitzgerald Auto Mall to a 100% employee-owned company in 2023 with an employee stock ownership plan.
In an obituary published by the company, Fitzgerald was called a devoted Washington Commanders fan who rarely missed a game. He was also a licensed pilot.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
