How do you make a Dago successful in business? Give him a gun! Bwaa, haa, haa. That is f--king hysterical!
6 Successful Italian Americans You Don't Know Sh-t About (Part 2)
2.) Amadeo Giannini (1870 - 1949) founder in 1904 of Bank of Italy, which later became Bank of America, the largest bank in the United States.
Amadeo Giannini --whose parents were Italian immigrants from Favale di Malvaro near Genoa, Italy-- was a hell of a businessman. Starting out as a produce broker, commission merchant and produce dealer for California. In 1901, at age 31, he sold his interest to his employees and retired. He later became a director of the Columbus Savings & Loan at a time where banks were run for the benefit of the wealthy, and Italian-Americans and other minorities were routinely refused service.
Pissed, he he quit the board in frustration and decided to start his own bank.
Giannini founded the Bank of Italy in San Francisco, catering expressly to Italian-American immigrants who were denied service from other banks, and became very successful doing so.
When the 1906 San Francisco earthquake struck, Giannini was able to get all deposits out of the bank building and away from the fires. Because San Francisco's banks were in smoldering ruins and unable to open their vaults, Giannini was able to use the rescued funds to start lending within a few days of the disaster. From a makeshift desk of a few planks over two barrels, he loaned money to anyone who was willing to rebuild. Later in life, he took great pride that all of these loans were repaid.
In 1922, Giannini established Bank of America and Italy in Italy by buying Banca dell'Italia Meridionale.
On March 7, 1927, Giannini consolidated his Bank of Italy (101 branches) with the newly formed Liberty Bank of America (175 branches). The result was the Bank of Italy National Trust & Savings Association with capital of $30,000,000, and resources of $115,000,000.
In 1928, A. P. Giannini merged with Bank of America, Los Angeles and consolidated it with his other bank holdings to create what would become the largest banking institution in the country. He renamed his Bank of Italy November 3, 1930, calling it Bank of America.
The former Bank Of Italy is now the largest bank holding company in the United States, by assets, and the second largest bank by market capitalization.It serves clients in more than 150 countries and has a relationship with 99% of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 83% of the Fortune Global 500.
As of 2010, Bank of America is the 5th largest company in the United States by total revenue, as well as the second largest non-oil company in the U.S. (after Wal-Mart). In 2010, Forbes listed Bank of America as the 3rd "best" large company in the world.
1.) Lee Iacocca - President, Ford Motor Co., Chairman, Chrysler Corporation, Invented the F--king Ford Mustang and 748 other cars.
While I love my Italian-American brothers and sisters, everyone on this list can stuff kittens up their asses and fire them out on command for all I care, lest they all bow and kneel before Lido Anthony Iacocca, the man responsible for the Ford Mustang.
Iacocca was born in sh-tty Allentown, Pennsylvania to Nicola Iacocca and Antonietta Perrotta, Italian immigrants from San Marco dei Cavoti, Benevento) who had settled in Pennsylvania and operated a restaurant, Yocco's Hot Dogs.
Iacocca joined Ford Motor Company in 1946. Initially an engineer, Iacocca moved into sales. While working in the Philadelphia district as assistant sales manager, Iacocca gained national recognition with his "56 for '56" campaign, offering loans on 1956 model year cars with a 20% down payment and $56 in monthly payments for three years.
So, yeah, every time you see one of those cool car ads offering an attractive financing package, just remember who invented it.
His campaign went national, and Iacocca was called to Dearborn, where he quickly moved up through the ranks. In 1960 Iacocca was named Ford's vice-president, car and truck group; in 1967, executive vice-president; and in 1970, president.
Iacocca also participated in the design of one or two cars for the company, most notably the Ford Mustang, the Lincoln Continental Mark III, the Ford Festiva and the revival of the Mercury brand in the late 1960s, including the introduction of the Mercury Cougar and Mercury Marquis.
(In the spirit of full disclosure, he then invented the Ford Pinto, which killed everyone who ever drove one, and then he got fired. OK? Are you happy?).
As part of his separation agreement, he was allowed to bring with him the plans for two products which he began developing at Ford.
At finally-f--ked Chrysler Corporation, which he took over in 1979, those products became the saviours of the company: The K-car and the front-wheel-drive minivan, which only became the foundation for the company's Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant, Chrysler LeBaron, Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge 400, Plymouth Caravelle coupe, Chrysler Executive limousine, Dodge 600 coupe and convertible, Chrysler E-Class, Chrysler New Yorker, Dodge 600 sedan, Chrysler Laser, Dodge Daytona and Chrysler Daytona, Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler LeBaron GTS, Dodge Lancer, Shelby Lancer, Dodge Shadow, Plymouth Sundance and Duster, Shelby CSX, Chrysler LeBaron coupe and convertible, Chrysler New Yorker, Dodge Dynasty and Chrysler Dynasty (Canada), Chrysler Saratoga, Dodge Spirit, Plymouth Acclaim, Chrysler TC by Maserati, Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue and Chrysler Imperial.
No big deal.
In his spare time, Iacocca:
Headed the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, which was created to raise funds for the renovation and preservation of the Statue of Liberty;
Co-authored his autobiography, titled Iacocca: An Autobiography, which was the best selling non-fiction hardback book of 1984 and 1985. (And he donated ALL the proceeds of the book's sales to diabetes research.);
Appeared on an episode of Miami Vice, playing Park Commissioner Lido in episode #44;
Co-authored (with Sonny Kleinfeld) Talking Straight, praising the innovation and creativity of Americans;
Turned down an appointment to the U.S. Senate in 1991 after the death of Senator H. John Heinz III by Governor Robert Casey;
Became the head of EV Global Motors, a company formed to develop and market electric bikes with a top speed of 15 mph and a range of 20 miles between recharging at wall outlets;
Supported the successful Republican candidate George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. (Look, everyone f--ks up at some point in their life.);
Founded Olivio Premium Products, which manufactures the Olivio line of food products made from olive oil. He donates all profits from the company to diabetes research.
Launched Join Lee Now, a national grassroots campaign, to bring diabetes research to human clinical trials;
Became Chairman of "Nourish the Children," an initiative of Nu Skin Enterprises;
Authored Where Have All the Leaders Gone? In the book, Iacocca writes:
Launched a website to encourage open dialogue about the challenges of our time. He has introduced topics such as health care costs, and the United States' lag in developing alternative energy sources and hybrid vehicles. The site also promotes his book Where Have All the Leaders Gone. It provides an interactive means for users to rate presidential candidates by the qualities Iacocca believes they should possess: curiosity, creativity, communication, character, courage, conviction, charisma, competence and common sense;
Led the fundraising campaign to enable Lehigh University to adapt and use vacant buildings formerly owned by Bethlehem Steel. Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop Campus of Lehigh University houses the College of Education, the biology and chemical engineering departments, and The Iacocca Institute, which is focused on global competitiveness.
And, yes, he's 100%, first-generation Italian-American.
Here's sixteen more!:
* Samuel J. Palmisano - chairman and CEO of IBM.
* Jerry Colangelo - Former owner of Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, Arizona Sandsharks, Arizona Rattlers and Arizona Diamondbacks. Head of Phoenix Coyotes.
* Pat Croce - physical therapist, entrepreneur, once owner of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team
* Edward J. DeBartolo (1946 - ) billionaire, former owner of the five-time Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers
* Fred De Luca - founder of Subway Sandwich.
* Giorgio DeLuca - founder of Dean & DeLuca
* Domingo Ghirardelli (1817 - 1894) founder of Ghirardelli Chocolate Company
* Tom Golisano - billionaire founder of Paychex, owner of the Buffalo Sabres, ran for Governor of New York in 1994, 1998 and 2002
* Joseph Kresivich - founder of the Stella D'Oro in 1930
* Gennaro Lombardi - opened the first US pizzeria in 1905, Lombardi's
* Tommy Mottola (1949 - ) head of Sony Music Entertainment until 2003.
* Amedeo Obici (1877 - 1947) founder of the Planters Peanut Company in 1906
* Anthony T. Rossi (1900 - 1993) Italian immigrant who founded Tropicana Products.
* Jay Sarno (1922 - 1984) Las Vegas business entrepreneur, who owned Ceasars Palace and Circus Circus.
* Leonard Riggio - owner of Barnes & Noble
* Louis Rossetto (1949 - ) founder and former publisher of Wired Magazine
