American Express President Ed Gilligan Dies After Falling Sick on Flight - East Idaho News
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American Express President Ed Gilligan Dies After Falling Sick on Flight

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Getty 052915 EdGilligan?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1432927293520Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — American Express President Ed Gilligan passed away on Friday after falling ill on an airplane flight, the company said.

In a letter to American Express employees, company Chairman and CEO Kenneth Chenault said that Gilligan had died, calling his death “deeply painful and frankly unimaginable for all of us who had the great fortune to work with Ed.” Gilligan, 55, had served as president of the company since 2013.

Bloomberg News reports that Gilligan was flying home on a company plane from Japan to New York.

Chenault noted in his letter that Gilligan had began working at American Express 35 years ago, as an intern, eventually climbing to the rank of Vice Chairman in 2007 and President in April 2013. “His contributions have left an indelible imprint on practically every area of our business,” Chenault said.

Gilligan was considered by many to be the heir apparent to Chenault, who has been CEO and chairman of American Express since 2001. Chenault wrote that he asked Gilligan’s direct leaders to report to him.

A spokeswoman for American Express did not respond to requests for comment.

Gilligan is survived by his wife and four children.

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