A major player in the pizza industry, who started as a pizza delivery driver and ended up owning 94 Domino's pizza stores in nine states, died in a plane crash on Feb. 4.  William “Bill’’ Graves, 52, (pictured) was killed when, according to Inforum.com, the twin-engine Cessna he was flying on approach to the Denton (Texas) Enterprise Airport crashed shortly after 9 p.m. in a grassy area of a construction site near Argyle.

There were no other passengers, according to authorities. Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Aviation Administration officials are conducting an investigation into the cause.

According to a profile on the Domino’s Franchisee Association website, Graves started as a Domino's Pizza driver in 1981, becoming a franchisee four years later in Willmar, Minnesota. He operated 94 stores in nine states under the parent company of Dough Management, Inc. He also served on the Willmar Airport Relocation Committee, among other boards.

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