In Memoriam: Sal Crimi

Sal Crimi, a pioneer of accident management programs in the fleet industry, passed away on Wednesday, August 24. Crimi, a lifetime NAFA Honorary Member, served on the New York Chapter Board for over twenty years, and on the national level, served as the chair of the Affiliate Committee who planned the Affiliate party at the NAFA Conference in Boston (during the 1980's).

Crimi helped establish the Lee Myles National Fleet Transmission replacement program. Later, with his partner Alex Gianoupolos, he created the company SALEX, titled with a combination of their two first names. SALEX was designed to provide to corporate America the first nationwide collision and major mechanical programs exclusive for fleets. The addition of these services established SALEX as the first full service supplier of collision and full maintenance programs to the fleet industry. Modern programs of similar functionality at today’s Leasing or Independent Companies owe a debt to the work SALEX started.

Crimi is survived by his wife Rose, children Angelo Crimi and Grace Jacobs, Sisters Agnes Iraggi and Angie Mortaro, and Brothers Nick and Tom Crimi. He was a grandfather of four and great-grandfather of three.

In the November 1993 issue of Automotive Fleet Magazine, in an article titled "How to Audit Your Accident Management Program," Crimi reflected on the differences between the fleet and automotive worlds and when SALEX was a pioneer in the accident management field.

"The auto repair industry would get one black eye after another," Crimi says. "Monitoring is the key. With some shops, as long as they can get away with something they are going to do it. That is why each estimate we receive is reviewed using our computerized estimating system to ensure the lowest possible repair cost."

Today SALEX has 30,000 maintenance and body shops in its network. Each shop meets established criteria, has a good reputation through the local Better Business Bureau and Chamber of Commerce and, most importantly, has a track record of satisfying SALEX customers.

"If they fail to perform up to our standards, we remove them from our network," Crimi says.

In 1995, Dickinson Holding Corp. acquired twenty percent of SALEX Corporation. At that time, SALEX managed the maintenance, repair, collision, sale, and other vital auto services for many of America's largest companies, including Firestone, McDonalds, Tupperware, and others. Since 1974 and up to then, SALEX had built a network of over 31,000 independent repair shops and service centers located in all fifty states, Canada, and Puerto Rico that allowed the company to provide vehicle maintenance and repair services nationwide, 365 days per year. SALEX developed retail consumer and financial institutional services, as well as adding standard and preventive maintenance services. The addition of these services established SALEX as the first full-service supplier of collision and full maintenance programs to the fleet industry.

George Argueta remembered Crimi fondly as not just a savvy businessperson, but a charismatic figure in the world of fleet. "Sal was one of the most positive persons I have known. Quite often when we would be leaving New York City at the end of the day, in early evening, and we would wind up in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Long Island Expressway, I would express my unhappiness with the situation. Sal would simply say, "It’s good." When I questioned his sanity, Sal would state, "lots of commerce, lots of people making money, people who buy cars, gasoline, tires, etc. (is) good for business." I could not argue with him on that."

Argueta continued, "Sal was a character, a friend, and to just about everyone who met him, a gentleman and a really good guy."

NAFA offers condolences to Crimi family and friends and thanks George Argueta and Robert Martines for their generous assistance with material for this memorial.

NAFA Fleet Management Association
125 Village Blvd., Suite 200
Princeton, NJ 08540

Telephone: 609.720.0882 Fax: 609.452.8004