Checkered Flag Auto Group Founder Ed Snyder’s estate leaves nearly $4 million to local charities

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Checkered Flag Auto Group founder Edward Snyder’s legacy of supporting community organizations lives on as his final bequests of nearly $4 million have been distributed to local non-profit organizations.

He passed away October 19, 2018.

Snyder was a founding member of the Virginia Aquarium. He donated $2 million to the Hampton Roads Community Foundation (HRCF) to create an endowment that will provide free admission to the Aquarium for military families.

Ed Snyder created another fund at the HRCF named for his parents, Bertha G. Snyder and Ben Paul Snyder, for $1 million to provide tuition annually through the United Way of South Hampton Roads for at-risk children to attend summer camp.

Ohef Sholom Temple in Norfolk where he was active throughout his life received $500,000 for their youth education programs.

The Douglas MacArthur Memorial Foundation where he served as chairman of the board was left $100,000.

“My father believed that it was a privilege to look after the community that had been so good to him. Before he died, he asked to have ‘He Gave, He Won’ inscribed on his grave marker. He did this to always remind the family of the importance of giving,” Steve Snyder, now president of Checkered Flag, explained.

Ed Snyder and his wife Jean founded Checkered Flag in 1964. Today it is one of the largest import dealers in Virginia with 11 brand franchises employing nearly 600 professionals full time.