Infiniti has lost its founder, Bill Bruce, who passed away on May 28 at age 70. Bruce was the first General Manager when the Infiniti brand was launched in the U.S. in 1989 from where it set out to enter other global markets.

He is widely credited for introducing Infiniti’s concept of “Total Ownership Experience” which revolutionized the industry at the time. Bruce joined Infiniti’s parent company, Nissan, in 1982, and retired from the company in 1999.

“Bill Bruce has laid the foundation for the Infiniti brand worldwide,” said Johan de Nysschen, President of Infiniti Motor Company, Ltd. “He got wide acclaim and respect for his vision to provide customers with an outstanding experience throughout their entire ownership of the car. This caused a major shift in the car industry overall, and so he left a lasting mark. We are saddened by this loss and our thoughts are with his family.”