Thirty-One Days of Italians

The purpose of this website is to educate others about the significant contributions that those of Italian heritage have made to America. Biographies range from one to several paragraphs providing an overview, and links to a collection of selected resources are provided for more in-depth research. The information is intended to be shared and distributed; however, the work in this website is a result of massive hours of researching, organizing, creating, and writing. If you use any of the information on this website, please give proper credit by citing Thirty-One Days of Italians and adding a link to this website. Thank you.

BUSINESS

Fred DeLuca (1948-2015)  Born in Brooklyn to Italian-American parents, Fred Deluca was raised in the Projects, moved to upstate New York, and then to Bridgeport, Connecticut. After graduating high school, he had plans to go to college to become a medical doctor, but was not able to pay the tuition. Seeking a way to pay for college, DeLuca was inspired when family friend Dr. Peter Buck suggested opening a sandwich shop. In 1965, DeLuca partnered with Buck and opened Pete's Super Submarines. Although initially successful, sales began to rapidly decline. Still, a second and third sandwich shop opened, and the partners kept focused on the goal of 32 shops in 10 years. A few years later the name was changed to SUBWAY® Restaurants, and in 1974, looking toward expansion, the first franchise opened. Since then, it has been one of the top food business franchises, All SUBWAY® Restaurants are owned by franchisees – totaling more than 37,000 in over 100 countries – and is the largest submarine sandwich shop franchise worldwide. The privately held company has been ranked Entrepreneur magazine’s number one franchise opportunity 16 times in 22 years.    In 1997, The Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation was founded “to provide youth and adults the tools to achieve independence and self-sufficiency.” (The name and mission have changed.) In 2013, DeLuca was diagnosed with leukemia; while receiving treatment he continued to supervise the company and named his sister, Suzanne Greco, as his successor.  He died several weeks after the 50th anniversary of SUBWAY®.  In August 2023, Subway® entered into a sales agreement with Roark Capital, a private equity firm. The sale brings an end to its almost 60 years of family ownership, but opens the business to greater international expansion and wider channels for obtaining customer satisfaction. The Subway Story From Rags to Riches: the Fred DeLuca Story Entrepreneur’s Hall of Fame: Fred DeLuca Subway CEO Back in Saddle [USA, May 6, 2014] Subway, Unscripted [Interview, 2010] Interview with Subway CEO Suzanne Greco [Franchise Times, September 22, 2017] Sandwich Chain Subway Will Be Sold …

Ernest (1909-2007) and Julio Gallo (1910-1993) Founders of E. & J. Gallo Winery in Sonoma County, California, in 1933; now Gallo Family Vineyards, the largest family owned winery in the world. After Prohibition was repealed, the brothers worked to build the winery into a leader in the wine industry. From cultivating the grapes, to bottling the wine, to delivering a quality product, E. & J. Gallo maintained control over the entire operation by utilizing sustainable agriculture, in-house bottling facilities, and marketing techniques developed by Ernest Gallo exclusively for the company. The brothers’ efforts have produced an award winning winery and wine, including being the only American winery named "International Winery of the Year" three times, and awarded the "Winery of the Century" by Wines of the Americas Competition. E. & J. Gallo Winery The Gallo Family [Wine Spectator] Ernest & Julio Gallo [Hospitality Hall of Honor] Ernest Gallo At 75, Wine Giant Gallo is Refining its Palate [Los Angeles Times, April 4, 2008] Gallo Winery: How it Began in 1933 E. & J. Gallo Timeline Domenico (or Domingo) Ghirardelli, Sr. (1817-1894) Emigrated from Rapallo (Genoa), first to South America and then to California during the Gold Rush. With prior experience as a merchant and apprentice candy maker, and with his knowledge of the chocolate trade, Ghirardelli established a confectionery company in San Francisco 1852. In 1865, his company developed the Broma process, a method of extracting cocoa butter from the roasted cacao beans by a drip method. The Broma process produces a more intense chocolate flavor than Dutch processed (treated with an alkalizing agent) chocolate. Ghirardelli Timeline Tracing the Totally Sweet History of the Ghirardelli Empire  The History Of The Ghirardelli Chocolate Company Domenico Ghirardelli – Chocolatier Domingo Ghirardelli - Candy Hall of Fame The Ghirardelli & Co. Ruins Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco   Amadeo Pietro Giannini [HM] (1870-1949) At 14, Giannini left school to help his stepfather run a produce business. Five years later, he was a partner, and at 31, he sold the business to retire. Three years later, he opened the Bank of Italy – based on the concept of lending money to the working class – offering mortgage, automobile, and installment loans. After the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, he salvaged the bank’s resources and loaned money to help rebuild the city. He provided financial backing to start United Artists and the California wine industry, to keep Walt Disney’s Snow White from going over budget, and for the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Known for his integrity, Giannini expanded the Bank of Italy, opening branches in other cities in California. In 1928, he renamed his banking industry the Bank of America with plans for a nationwide banking system. His concern for other’s welfare and his generosity led him to create the A.P. Giannini Foundation in 1945. The Foundation provides funding for biomedical technologists “to support innovative research in the basic sciences and applied fields.” Giannini revolutionized banking, establishing the foundation for the modern banking system. When he died in 1949, Bank of America was the largest bank in the United States. In March 2025, the documentary “A Little Fellow: The Legacy of A.P. Giannini” – “a first-generation Italian-American who revolutionized banking and reshaped California's industries in the early 20th century.” – premiered in California. Who Made America? America’s Banker: A.P. Giannini [Time] Bank of America: The Humble Beginnings of a Large Bank  NEW Amadeo Giannini [PBS] NEW Amadeo Peter "A.P." Giannini [Entrepreneur] NEW A.P. Giannini: Banking, (Re)building, and the Crafting of California NEW Influential Italian Americans: A.P. Giannini This Man Who Changed Global Finance Forever [YouTube Video] A.P. Giannini: His Legacy to California Agriculture [PDF] NEW A.P. Giannini [California Museum Hall of Fame] NEW A.P. Giannini Bust [Chapman University, CA] NEW “A Little Fellow: The Legacy of A.P. Giannini” [Official Website] NEW Film Tells Of Banker for the ‘Little Fellow’ Who Hailed From the Bay Area  A.P. Giannini Foundation Bank of Italy, 1917 [Photo - Historic Architecture in Fresno, CA] Bank of Italy, 2010 [Photo - National Register of Historic Places in San Francisco] Lee Iacocca (1924-2019) Born in Allentown, Pennsylvania to Italian immigrant parents, Iacocca credits his parents for not only his work ethic, but also for his philanthropy. After graduating from high school, Iacocca received a degree in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University and a fellowship to Princeton University. His first job was an engineer at Ford Motor Company. He became the CEO of Chrysler Corporation in 1978, and in four years turned it from the verge of bankruptcy into receiving record-breaking profits. Iacocca convinced the federal government to provide assistance to the company and was able to pay the loans back seven years earlier, resulting in millions of dollars in profit to the government. Under his realm, the K-car and minivan were produced. As the former president of Ford Motor Company, he is often referred to as the "Father of the Mustang" for his involvement in its design. In 1982, he headed the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation to raise funds for the largest American restoration to date. Two years later, he established The Iacocca Family Foundation – in honor of his late wife – to provide grants to fund diabetes research. His book, Iacocca, An Autobiography, became a best seller, and proceeds went to the Family Foundation. In 1992, Iacocca retired from Chrysler; and the following year, he founded Olivio Premium Products – a line of olive oil products – with his son-in-law. In the years after his retirement, Iacocca wrote two more books and was active in several charitable foundations. Lee Iacocca, All-American Automotive Icon Who Invented the Mustang? Without Him, the Mustang Wouldn't Have Had a Chance Lee Iacocca: A Detroit Legend’s Hits and Misses [Fortune, October 23, 2012] Iacocca’s 9 C’s of Leadership TIME Magazine Cover, April 1985 Auto Legend Lee Iacocca [Obituary]

Jacuzzi Family (1900s-Present) After migrating with their family to California from Italy in the early 1900s, the seven Jacuzzi brothers, mechanics by trade, produced aircraft equipment and created the first closed cabin monoplane. An airplane accident changed the direction of the company, and some of the brothers began making hydraulic pumps for irrigation; another started a vineyard. In 1947, Candido Jacuzzi developed a hydrotherapy pump – placed into the tub to circulate the water – to aid his son’s treatment for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. In 1966, he enclosed the pump, making the first whirlpool tub. The family sold the whirlpool business in 1979. Jacuzzi, Inc. The Fascinating Story of the Jacuzzi Family Jacuzzi: A History of the Famous Hot Tub Jacuzzi Wellness - Heritage Spirit, Wind and Water: The Untold Story of the Jacuzzi Family History of Hot Tubs and Jacuzzi A Hot Take on the Steamy History of the Jacuzzi Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Robert Mondavi (1913-2008) Guided by his passion to integrate the values and traditions of his Italian heritage into the American wine industry, Mondavi revolutionized it. After years of working in the vineyards and learning about the industry, in 1966 he opened Robert Mondavi Winery to create premium wines and established one of the most recognized vineyards in the world. He introduced old- fashioned wine making techniques to the California wine industry, and changed the production process to create a Sauvignon Blanc – Fumé Blanc – setting the standard for it in America. Mondavi produced wines using cold fermentation, aging in small barrels, and basket pressing, blending new methods with the old-world techniques, and in 1970 he was one of the first to export California wine. Robert Mondavi Winery Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science How Entrepreneur Robert Mondavi Changed Wine Forever The World of Robert Mondavi Robert G. Mondavi Papers, 1925-2008 [University of California, Davis] The Passing of a Legend: Robert Mondavi 1913-2008 Book Review: House of Mondavi Amedeo Obici (1877-1947) Founder of Planters Peanuts, one of the most recognizable brands in America, Amedeo Obici was 12 years old when he immigrated from Ordezo, Italy (near Venice) to America. When Obici was seven, his father died, and several years later his uncle (his mother’s brother) who lived in Scranton, Pennsylvania, suggested that Obici move to America to stay with him. Obici traveled alone and some sources cite that he mistakenly wound up in Wilkes-Barre, where the Musantes, an Italian-speaking family, was found to translate and provide a place to stay until Obici’s uncle was contacted. In Scranton, Obici went to school and worked at several jobs including a fruit stand; but he later returned to Wilkes-Barre and worked at the fruit stand owned by the Musantes, where roasted peanuts were also sold. Obici found that the peanuts were a popular snack and noticed that the smell of the roasting peanuts attracted customers. He decided to sell peanuts, and devised a portable roaster that he made from scrap parts. By 1895, he had saved enough money to bring his mother and siblings to America, and had enough left to open a fruit stand that included a peanut roaster. In the next few years, Obici, who became “The Peanut Specialist,” partnered with Mario Peruzzi and in 1906 formed Planters Peanut Company, incorporated in 1908 as Planters Nut and Chocolate Company. He developed a new way to roast and blanch the peanuts, which improved their taste and appearance, and with his innovative marketing techniques, attracted many more customers. To remove the middleman and be closer to the peanuts fields, Obici built a processing plant in Suffolk, Virginia in 1913. In 1916, Obici held a contest for a logo; the winning entry – by 13-year old Antonio Gentile – was given a top hat, cane, monocle, and spats by a company artist. Obici married Louise Musante in 1916 and in 1924, the couple moved to Bay Point Farm, a 1870s farmhouse with several structures on 263 acres bordering the Nansemond River in Suffolk. Obici relocated the farmhouse to the banks of the river, and remodeled it in the style of a villa he had seen in Italy. In 2003, the estate was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for being “associated with the lives of persons significant in our past” and because the “property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction ….” The house was closed for several years, restored by a local preservation group, and opened in 2012 as an event venue. In Suffolk, Planters greatly increased its facilities and production, and in the next decade the company expanded to include several plants in the United States and one in Toronto, Canada. Under Obici’s guidance, the company manufactured its own packaging materials and utilized its resources, producing oil from broken peanuts and selling unused product to minimize waste. In the early 1930s, Planters started opening retail stores throughout America; Planters Peanuts had become a national brand. In 1961, Standard Brands acquired the Planters Peanut and Chocolate Company, in 1981 it merged with Nabisco to form Nabisco Brands; and in 2000, Kraft Foods became the owner of Nabisco Brands. Obici and his wife were well known for their generosity; they hosted many charitable events at Bay Point Farm and built a clubhouse on their property for the employees of Planters. When Louise died in 1938, as a memorial to her, Obici created an endowment for a hospital. He died in 1947, and four years later, the Louise Obici Memorial Hospital was built. The Obici Foundation was established in 1985, and in 2006, the hospital merged with Sentara Healthcare, and the Obici Healthcare Foundation was established. Hometown Legion: Amedeo Obici Amedeo Obici Short Biography Planters Through The Years After 100 Years …  [The Virginian-Pilot, June 4, 2006] Bay Point Farm [Virginia Department of Historic Resources] The Obici House A Gem Restored Bay Point Farm [Suffolk News Herald, March 27, 2017] Cheers to Amedeo Obici History of Obici Healthcare Foundation  Amedeo Obici Historical Marker [Wilkes-Barre, PA]

Antonio Pasin [HM] (1896-1990) Arriving in America in 1914 from a small town outside of Venice, within several years Pasin was able to save enough money to start a small business crafting wood wagons. By 1923, he hired his first employees and named his company Liberty Coaster Company, after the Statue of Liberty. Inspired by the automobile industry, he started using metal stamping to make wagons, and named the first steel wagon Radio Flyer in honor of Marconi’s invention of the radio and Pasin’s interest in flight. Throughout the Depression, his company was one of the few that ran at full capacity and his exhibit at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair brought world fame to the red wagon. As one of the oldest toy companies in America, it is still family owned and it’s the only company that makes steel, wood, and plastic wagons. Pasin was inducted into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 2003. Radio Flyer: Our History The Antonio Pasin Story [YouTube Video] NEW The Italian American Dream  NEW How an Italian Immigrant Rolled Out the Radio Flyer Wagon Across America Antonio Pasin | From Adversity to Achievement NEW Radio Flyer: the Original Red Wagon Chief Wagon Officer Wagon Master: Robert Pasin The World’s Largest Wagon NEW Life-Sized Radio Flyer NEW Radio Flyer Exhibit [1933 World’s Fair] Radio Flyer, Inc.   Jeno F. Paulucci (1918-2011) Born to Italian immigrants who settled in northeastern Minnesota, Jeno Paulucci worked at a young age to help his family. Today, he is considered one of the most successful entrepreneurs in America. Paulucci helped his parents by working at the family grocery store, a job that would lead him to establish his career in the food industry. Paulucci was the founder of Chun King Chinese Food, Jeno’s Pizza Rolls, and Bellisio Foods, the parent company of Michelina’s (named after his mother). To date, Paulucci had started more than 50 companies, and – over the years – has earned numerous awards and honors for his entrepreneurial and employer skills. One of his earliest awards was in 1972, as the United States Employer of the Year. Other honors include United States Entrepreneur by Ernst & Young in 2002, and the International Lifetime Achievement Award for Activism, Entrepreneurship and Leadership in 2005. Paulucci is the founder of the National Italian American Foundation and, with his wife, founded the Jeno and Lois Paulucci Family Foundation, an organization that helped the poor, disadvantaged, and elderly lead more productive lives. How Jeno Paulucci Borrowed $2,500 and Built a Food Empire  NEW Holding On To History: Jeno Paulucci - the King of Convenience Food Bellisio’s Beginnings NEW Jeno F. Paulucci [National Italian American Foundation] On Jeno Paulucci [MPR News, November 25, 2011] Luigino Francesco Paulucci [Pioneer Press, November 25, 2011] 1960s Pizza Roll Commercial [YouTube] NEW Pizza Rolls and the Meaning of Midcentury Food NEW The Amazing Estate of Jeno Paulucci in Sanford Leonard Riggio (1941-2024) After working in a book store for several years, Riggio opened his own in New York’s Greenwich Village in 1965. It quickly became successful and in 1971, he purchased the floundering Barnes & Noble, which began in 1873 as C. M. Barnes Company, merging with Noble & Noble in 1917. Within a few years, with an overhaul of the company, and the first television commercials for a book store, Barnes & Noble was on its way to recovery. Acquisitions and super stores followed and today, Barnes & Noble is the largest retail bookstore chain in America. Riggio also founded Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, and also owned shares in the video game retailer, GameStop. Riggio has received numerous honorary doctorate degrees, and has served on the boards of several organizations for children’s education and defense. In honor of his charitable work, he has received a variety of awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Anti-Defamation League’s Americanism Award. In 2017, he was the Grand Marshal of the New York City Columbus Day Parade. In 2019, Barnes & Noble was sold to a management corporation, and Riggio retired. turning his interest towards his art collection. Both Riggio and his wife, Louise, were ardent collectors of twentieth century art, and publically shared their appreciation of art through their paintings and sculptures of many rare pieces. In early 2025, part of their collection was sold through Christie’s. Leonard Riggio [Video, Roadtrip Nation] Leonard Riggio: Bargain Book Baron The Billionaire and the Book Lover [New York Magazine, August 2011] NEW Barnes & Noble Set to be Sold to Elliott Management …  Leonard Riggio, Who Built Barnes & Noble into a Bookselling Empire, Dies at 83 NEW Brooklyn Remembers Leonard Riggio, who Expanded Barnes & Noble into an Empire NEW Louise and Leonard Riggio, Top Art Collectors [ARTnews] NEW Art from the Riggio Collection Will Go On the Auction Block This Spring NEW Leonard & Louise Riggio: Collected Works [Christie’s Auction; May 2025] NEW Leonard Riggio's Hamptons Home, ... Barnes & Noble History GameStop Corp. History   Anthony T. Rossi (1900-1993) From Sicily to New York to Virginia and then Florida, after starting several successful businesses, in 1947, Rossi purchased a fruit packaging company and sold gift boxes of oranges and grapefruits. He named the company Tropicana. As the popularity of the gift boxes increased, he added sectioned fruit and made juice from the smaller oranges. In 1954, he developed a pasteurization process to extend the shelf life of the juice, and he was instrumental in adding citrus products to school food programs. Rossi established the Aurora Foundation, building the Bradenton Missionary Village in Florida for retiring missionaries. In 1983, he was named one of “The Most Generous Living Americans,” for his philanthropy. Rossi was inducted into the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1987. Anthony Rossi – Tropicana A Juice Giant Christian Business Legend – Anthony Rossi, the Founder of Tropicana Anthony T. Rossi Facts for Kids Tropicana: Our Story Tropicana Goes Big-League Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Florida Citrus Hall of Fame Tropicana Founder Anthony Rossi Dies