Sgfleet fleet operations manager George Reid has died.

Chris Joyce, operations director at Sgfleet, said: “George was known to many, having had a long career in the automobile industry.

"He started out in 1967 as a technician at the Birmingham Ford dealership, Mottershead and Smith, rapidly progressing to service manager.

"After more than 20 years he decided on a career change which ended up being a stepping stone to Autolease, where he worked as head of technical services until 2010 when he joined Fleet Hire.

"After the acquisition of Fleet Hire, by Sgfleet in 2016, he became fleet operations manager responsible for procurement and aftersales.

"He was passionate about his job and the people he worked with, always going about his work with a smile on his face and a story to tell. He was a popular person in the industry with a real focus on delivering a high level of customer service."

Reid also served as Epyx Service Network Customer Forum chairman and was an avid supporter of many industry initiatives to develop staff and services.

Outside of work, he enjoyed cycling, golf and was a keen Aston Villa fan, having been a season ticket holder for over 25 years.

He passed away suddenly on February 8. His funeral was held on March 7.