The Taylor family name is associated with Enterprise Holdings, the car-rental company founded by Jack Taylor in 1957.
Jack Taylor founded Executive Leasing in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1957. The company initially leased cars to businesses and later expanded into daily rentals. In 1965, it adopted the Enterprise name, honoring the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise on which Taylor had served during World War II.
The company became Enterprise Rent-A-Car and later grew into Enterprise Holdings, whose brands include Enterprise, National Car Rental and Alamo. Enterprise Holdings is privately held and remains controlled by the Taylor family. Jack Taylor’s son Andrew Taylor served as chief executive and later executive chairman, while other family members have held important ownership and leadership roles.
Enterprise is often confused with the separate Hertz and Avis companies because all operate in the vehicle-rental industry. Enterprise Holdings’ distinctive history is its origin in leasing and its continued Taylor family ownership.