Dressage-News

Dennis D. Dammerman, a leading American finance executive and active in horse shows, has died at the age of 67.

Dennis and his wife, Marsha, lived in retirement at Saratoga Lake in New York an have a home in Wellington, Florida.

He was often described as having a passion for horses and a passion for automobiles. In 2009, Saratoga Automobile Museum displayed 16 of his vintage cars from the 1940s to the 1970s in an exhibit called “Mid-Century Marvels.”

Dennis retired in 2005 as Vice Chairman of the Board and Executive Officer of General Electric Company and as director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GE Capital Services, positions he had held since 1998. He had also been a director of General Electric Company since 1994.

Prior to that, Dennis held various executive positions with General Electric Company and GE Capital Corp. after first joining GE in 1967. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Capmark Financial Group Inc. from 2008 to 2011 and as a member from 2006 to 2011, and as a director of American International Group, Inc. from 2008 to 2010, of Genworth Financial from 2004 to 2005, of Swiss Reinsurance Company from 2006 to 2007 and of Discover Financial Services from 2007 to 2009.

He was a Trustee of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Dennis served on the Board of Directors of the New York Racing Association.

In 1998, “CFO” magazine awarded Dennis the first-ever “Lifetime Achievement Award for CFO Excellence.”

He was one of the three founding partners of Wellington Equestrian Partners that acquired extensive real estate in Wellington, Florida including what is now known as the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center which hosts the Winter Equestrian Festival and the Global Dressage Festival.

He and his wife, Marsha, owned stables in Grand Prix Village adjoining the show grounds.

Over the years, he has owned several jumpers and hunters. Among those who rode for him was U.S. Olympian Chris Kappler.