Herb "Mr. Phone" Goldstein Passes Away

	Herb Goldstein

Herb Goldstein, known in the performance aftermarket industry as "Mr. Phone," passed away Friday, January 13, 2012, at 1:20 p.m. (PST). Goldstein had a long and illustrious career as a high-performance manufacturer's representative for many major companies and was the guiding light in not only bringing those manufacturers to market but also helping to carry them into national prominence.

Goldstein was always on the phone with every high-performance customer in the United States, hence his nickname. He was a powerful and creative salesman with a family background in sales (his father Jack had a long career on the West Coast). In his time, Goldstein was perhaps the best-known performance rep in the entire country and was also invested in several manufacturing enterprises.

"I worked with Herb in the mid ’60s when we were both in the wheel business," said Chuck Blum, owner of Chuck Blum & Associates. "He was a flamboyant, aggressive salesman who put a lot of up-and-coming companies in this market on the map. He made a lot of money for many companies and will always be remembered for his contributions to this industry."

In his later years, Goldstein encountered some serious business reverses and, for the past five years, had been out of the industry and quite ill.

"Herb was a funny guy who enjoyed talking to strangers and making the nightclub circuit in Beverly Hills, said Joe Mittelman of the Aftermarket Foundation. "Very outgoing, he was the first one to put his hand in his pocket if any of his friends were in trouble. He loved to arm wrestle anyone who was brave enough to try. Herb will leave a lasting impression on the entire performance aftermarket."

Funeral services will be held Friday, January 20, at 12:00 p.m. (PST) at Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California.