Henry Schimberg, the man who many say turned Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Enterprises into Coca-Cola's top bottling organization while serving as president and chief executive officer, has died. He was 79.
Under Schimberg, who began his career as a route driver for Royal Crown Bottling Co. of Chicago in 1958, CCE nearly tripled in size in the 1990s as a result of acquisitions of bottlers in North America and Europe. Revenue grew to more than $14 billion.
Schimberg retired from CCE in 2000.
"He was known as one of the industry's most skilled bottlers, and his focus on execution was legendary," said John Sicher, editor and publisher of Beverage Digest, an industry publication that broke the news Friday. "He was fiercely competitive and loved the industry."
Coca-Cola bought CCE in 2010 for $12.3 billion, its largest acquisition ever.
John Brock, CCE's chief executive officer, told Beverage Digest, "Henry was a special person who led courageously and inspired many throughout the years. His energy, drive and commitment to executional excellence were extraordinary, and his death will be mourned by the entire beverage industry."
Said Ben Deutsch, a spokesman for Coca-Cola: "We lost a great Coca-Cola ambassador today. Henry was one of our system's finest leaders and [a] business partner that always strived to make Coca-Cola better. His passion for our brands, enthusiasm for the business and demand for excellence were legendary. Our thoughts and prayers are with Henry's family during this difficult time."
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