T. Gary Rogers, who co-owned the Dreyer's ice cream company for nearly 30 years, has died at his Oakland home. He was 74.
A family statement says Rogers died Tuesday at his home while playing tennis.
Rogers and his business partner, William Cronk, bought Oakland-based Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream in 1977.
Rogers became chairman and CEO. They built the company into a major ice cream brand, with 9,000 employees churning out more than 3 million gallons a year.
The company came up with new flavors, such as Cookies `N Cream, and pioneered reduced-fat ice cream.
It was sold to Nestle in 2002.
Rogers also served terms as chairman of the Safeway and Levis Strauss companies and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
