John Daniel Hertz Sr. (April 10, 1879 – October 8, 1961) was an American businessman, thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder, and philanthropist.

Hertz was born Sándor Herz[1][2][3][4][5][dubious – discuss] to a Jewish family[6][7][8][9] in Szklabinya, Austria-Hungary (today Sklabiňa, a village in modern-day Martin, Slovakia).

"[10] He won amateur championships at the Chicago Athletic Association and eventually began to box under his own name.

His sales pitch included a commitment to free roadside service at any hour, a popular proposition during a time when cars were notorious for their unreliability.

Competition between the Yellow Cab Company and Checker Taxi in Chicago was fierce and frequently violent with a number of shootings and deaths.

In 1903, Hertz married Francis (Fannie) Kesner of Chicago with whom he had three children: Leona Jane, John Jr., and Helen.

They owned a horse farm at Trout Valley near Cary, Illinois, another known as Amarillo Ranch in Woodland Hills, California.

[24] Friend Edward Teller urged Hertz to orient his foundation to fund higher education.

Typically more than 800 applicants vie for ten to twelve fellowships, which provide full tuition and a generous stipend at top US research universities.

For his significant contribution to the security of the US, Hertz received the highest civilian award given by the Department of Defense in 1958.