Paul Calonico

Paul Calonico (1860's-1958)

Paul Calonico was born sometime in the early 1860s. He was born into an aristocratic Italian family that ruled over Florence, but left Italy in the early 1880’s and came to America on a large yacht he had commissioned in Italy. Little is known about what happen next, but Calonico ended up in California in the late 1880’s. He was the financial backer of several small oil companies and was approached by Lyman Stewart to merge his holdings with that of his own and another small company run by Thomas Bard. Stewart ran the company, which they named Union Oil. Calonico took a back seat in the company and manly supplied the financial backing for growth. The company grew and expanded, but in 1909 Wallace Libby Hardison, Stewart's Partner, died. Stewart's health had been failing. Thomas Bard was looking to get out of the company due to health. It is unclear as to when, but Paul Calonico took control of the company and by the 1920’s was the sole owner of Union Oil. The Calonico Family has been heavily involved in the company ever since. Paul's son Albert and his Grandson Albert Jr. have ran the company throughout the years. When Albert started running the Company it grew in leaps and bounds. He stood as a figure head of the company and was very well known. Albert Jr. took over the compnay in the 80's and played a very low key, but heavily involved role in the companies progress. In 1993 Albert Jr. put a man named Richard Martins incharge of the company and step out of the public life. Its is rumored that Albert Jr. son Paul will be taking over the company in a few years. Paul Calonico is an accomplished business man, but rumored to be a ruthless tyrant. [ [http://www.calonico.com.ar/ Calonico ]

References

2. 'Barons of the West' By Charle H. Menson