Vincent DeDomenico

Infobox Person
name = Vincent Michael DeDomenico


image_size = 200px
caption = Vincent DeDomenico
birth_name =
birth_date = September 29 1915
birth_place = San Francisco, California flagicon|USA flagicon|California
death_date = October 18 2007 (aged 92)
death_place = Napa, California flagicon|USA flagicon|California
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residence = Napa, California
nationality = American
other_names =
known_for = Inventor of Rice-A-Roni
Founder of Napa Valley Wine Train
education = Graduate, Mission High School, San Francisco, California
employer = Golden Grain Macaroni Company
occupation = Businessman
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spouse = Mildred DeDomenico
partner =
children = Steven DeDomenico, Michael DeDomenico, Vicki McManus, Marla Bleecher, Vincent DeDomenico Jr.
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Vincent Michael DeDomenico, Sr. (September 29, 1915 – October 18, 2007) was an American entrepreneur and one of the inventors of Rice-A-Roni and a founder of the Napa Valley Wine Train.cite web|publisher=New York Times|date=2007-10-23|author=Saul Hansel|title=Vincent DeDomenico, an Inventor of Rice-A-Roni, Dies at 92|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/business/23dedomenico-backf-obt-34-07.html?ref=business]

Biography

DeDomenico was born in San Francisco, California and raised in the city's Mission District. He graduated from Mission High School, and took some business and accounting classes at Golden Gate University (then known as Golden Gate College). Because his family did not have enough money for a full college education, he began working for the family business, the Gragnano Macaroni Factory, immediately after graduating. When his father died in 1933 he and his brothers took over the business, now called Golden Grain Macaroni Company. He and his brothers invented the dried rice mixture Rice-A-Roni in 1958.

In 1964 DeDomenico bought San Francisco Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, and built the company to the status of a world-famous chocolatier. The DeDomenicos sold both companies to the Quaker Oats Company in 1986 for $300 million.

The next year, Vincent DeDomenico, at the age of 72, joined two other investors, Jack Hussey and Dr. Lee Block, who had purchased the right of way to an 1864 Southern Pacific rail line in Napa Valley, California.cite news|publisher=Napa Valley Register|url=http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/10/20/news/local/doc47190da02761c461371870.txt|accessdate=2007-10-22|title=Wine Train founder DeDomenico dies at 92|author=Bill Kisliuk|date=October 20, 2007] DeDomenico and his wife had ridden the Orient Express, and had a vision of creating a comparable level of wine, food, and luxury for rail passengers in California. He took over the project and won approval to use the line for the new tourism venture, the Napa Valley Wine Train, after years of local opposition. The wine train began operation in 1989. It now carries 100,000 passengers per year and is credited in part with initiating the rise of downtown Napa, California as a tourism destination, despite constant litigation over flood control, increased congestion, and other issues that continues as of 2007. On the 10th anniversary of the train's operation, DeDomenico was honored with the Walter E. Disney Railroader Award by the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society for restoring and preserving the vintage train.

In later years DeDomenico operated a ranch in the Sacramento Valley. He went to work until the day that he died, passing away quietly in his sleep after a full day at the wine train office. DeDomenico was married to Mildred DeDomenico for over 60 years, until his death.cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/22/BAAESTS4I.DTL|publisher=San Francisco Chronicle|accessdate=2007-10-22|title=Vincent DeDomenico dies - invented Rice-A-Roni, built wine train|author=Julian Guthrie|date=October 22, 2007] DeDemenico was described by friends and adversaries as a persistent and tough businessman, but quiet and courteous in private. A private family man, DeDomenico enjoyed 1-2 glasses of wine per day.

DeDomenico's wife, Mildred, died on November 26, 2007, five weeks after his death. [cite news|publisher=Napa Valley Register|accessdate=2007-11-30|title=Mildred DeDomenico passes at 87|author=Kerana Todorov|date=November 28, 2007|url=http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/11/28/news/local/iq_4238098.txt]

References

External links

*cite book|publisher=University of California, Berkeley|url=http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/roho_disclaimer_cgi.pl?target=http://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/roho/ucb/text/dedomenico_family__w.pdf%20 | title=the DeDemenico Family: growth of the Golden Grain Company through innovation and entrepreneurship | author=Ruth Teiser and Lisa Jacobsen |date=1994
*cite book|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=6ULQk5s6448C&dq=%22vincent+dedomenico%22|title=Napa: The Story of an American Eden|author=James Conaway|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Books|date=2002

Persondata
NAME = DeDomenico, Vincent M., Sr.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = American entrepreneur
DATE OF BIRTH = September 29 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH = San Francisco, California, United States
DATE OF DEATH = October 18 2007
PLACE OF DEATH = Napa, California, United States