According to the sheriff’s department in Greene County, Pitney had been working on his tractor. At one point, he apparently tried to pull a tree stump from the ground, but the tractor couldn't handle it and flipped with the BMW executive still inside. Pitney was pronounced dead at the scene.
BMW of North America President Jim O’Donnell also released a statement yesterday, stating the shock in which the company is in following the tragic event.
“Our words are wholly inadequate at this moment. All of us who knew Jack are still in shock and only beginning to realize how deeply we feel his loss. He was not just a creative powerhouse but a genuinely nice man who was much loved by all of us,” the executive said in the statement.
“Our thoughts of course are with his wife, five children and other family members. He loved them tremendously and they were his first priority. They are in our prayers.”
Pitney had been with BMW since 1995, when he came on board to run the corporate communications department. He was a fervent supporter of bringing the MINI brand into the US, and was appointed the general manager for MINI in between 2001 and 2005.
On September 1, Pitney was scheduled to become the head of the German manufacturer's Eastern Region.
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