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Al Piemonte, the face and owner of the Chicago-land auto dealership Al Piemonte Ford, has died.

Piemonte's exaggerated hand gestures and colorful sweaters made him a staple on Chicago televisions for more than 30 years.

A sales manager at his Ford dealership in Melrose Park confirms Piemonte passed away on Christmas Eve.

There's no word on a cause of death.

He was 83.

Bob Rohrman from the Bob Rohrman Auto Group told WGN News, “I’ve known Al ever since I came to Chicago in 1985. I don’t know a dealer anywhere who didn’t look up to Al and admire what he did for the automobile business in Illinois. He brought new ways of advertising on TV and radio that helped all of us. We were competitors but we were friends. My heart goes out to his family. He was fantastic to the community and to the industry.”

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