Gamasutra has learned that Ray Kassar, President and CEO of Atari Inc. from 1978 to 1983, passed away in Vero Beach, Florida on December 10, 2017.
The news comes courtesy of an obituary posted to Legacy.com, originally syndicated via the San Francisco Chronicle's website on December 18th, 2017.
According to the condolences, Kassar became President and CEO of Atari in 1978, following the company's acquisition by Warner Communications in 1976. His leadership was timed with an explosive growth in Atari's business, although many developers and senior management left the company at the same time.
Kassar was also the (reverse-spelled) namesake of Yars Revenge, Howard Scott Warshaw's 1981 game for Atari 2600.