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Ron Ertley, founder of Ertley MotorWorld in Wilkes-Barre, PA, and operater of Ertley Dealership in Moosic, PA, passed away January 7 from cancer at 79.

Ertley, founder, owner and CEO of Ertley MotorWorld was remembered as an innovator in the automobile sales business by co-workers and friends at a service held January 12 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Wilkes-Barre, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune.

After graduating from Duke University in North Carolina and receiving an honorable discharge from the Air Force, Ertley returned to eastern Pennsylvania to manage an Oldsmobile dealership with his father. Ertley grew to own the dealership after his father's retirement.

In 1991 Ertley became the first in the area to combine dealerships--founding Ertley MotorWorld in 1991 with the help of his friend and colleague, J. David Power of JD Power and Associates. Ertley MotorWorld was a powerhouse in the eastern Pennsylvania area and was considered the area's first auto mall with 12 dealerships in one location.

"Main thing I remember is his innovation and willingness to try whatever the latest and greatest technology and techniques were to move forward in the automotive industry," Rick Osick, who worked with Mr. Ertley at MotorWorld, told the Scranton Times-Tribune. "He was known as an innovator as far as technology and methods to move a retail business along."

Ertley eventually sold Ertley MotorWorld to investors, and it still exists today, as MotorWorld.

Ertley remained in the auto dealership industry, opening a Chrylser-Jeep-Dodge-Kia dealership in Moosic.

As a member of the board of the JD Power Superdealer Rountable, a director of the Pennsylvania Automobile Association, a commissioner on the state Board of Transportation and the president of several other automobile dealer boards, Ertley was very active in the Pennsylvania automotive industry.