Sept. 10. 2014—Mighty Auto Parts announced on Tuesday that Dave Raphael, the company’s director of marketing, died Friday of cardiac arrest.
“Dave was a dedicated member of the Mighty team—thoroughly professional—a warm-hearted ambassador of goodwill,” Mighty president and CEO Ken Voelker said in a statement.
With a well-earned reputation as a marketing specialist with the Ford Motor Company and Auto Trader, Raphael joined Mighty in 2007. He managed the national franchisor’s advertising program and took a leadership role in successfully developing the company’s new car dealership market program. He was a published author in multiple trade magazines.
“Of all David's life accomplishments,” Voelker said, “nothing seemed to give him more of a sense of fulfillment than his role as a husband and father.”
Born and raised in Skokie, Ill., Raphael was a graduate of the University of Illinois with a B.A. in finance and an M.B.A. from Loyola University of Chicago. An avid sportsman, he was a ranked tennis amateur, winning numerous tournaments in the Atlanta area. He was also a runner for many years, participating in charity runs, and recently developed a passion for cycling.
Surviving Dave are his wife of 27 years, Lynne Raphael; his son, Sam; and daughter, Michelle.
