Peter Secchia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Peter Secchia
United States Ambassador to Italy
In office
July 3, 1989 – January 20, 1993
PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush
Preceded byMaxwell M. Rabb
Succeeded byReginald Bartholomew
Personal details
Born(1937-04-15)April 15, 1937
Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedOctober 21, 2020(2020-10-21) (aged 83)
East Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationMichigan State University (BA)

Peter Finley Secchia (April 15, 1937 – October 21, 2020) was an American businessman and Republican political activist, who also served as the

United States Ambassador to Italy and San Marino[1]
from 1989 to 1993.

Education and early life

Secchia was born in Englewood, New Jersey. He grew up in nearby Tenafly and graduated from Tenafly High School and then went on to attend Michigan State University.[2] He left university because he could not afford tuition and joined the Marines. He eventually earned a degree in economics in 1963.[3]

Career

Secchia served in the United States Marine Corps from 1956 to 1959 and graduated from Michigan State University in 1963 with a degree in economics.

Secchia was a fund-raiser in the

George Bush for President Committee. Secchia founded the Lake Michigan Conference, and was a national co-chair of the Dole
for President Campaign.

From 1989 to 1993 Secchia was the United States' ambassador to Italy. His nomination was controversial as he was one of several made by Bush of long-time financial backers and financial supporters, including Walter Curley (ambassador to France), Joseph Zappala (Spain), Mel Sembler (Australia), Frederic Bush Morris (Luxembourg), and Joy Silverman (Barbados).[5]

Secchia was the CEO and chairman of the board of

Universal Forest Products, a company that manufactures engineered wood components. He was Chairman of the River City Food Company which has 29 restaurants, catering facilities, and banquet locations in the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland
.

In 1994 he was appointed to chair the Secchia Commission I by Michigan governor John Engler, which was focused on improving government services. The Secchia Commission II focused on public sector pensions.

He received the

Department of State Distinguished Honor Award
during his service as ambassador to Italy, an award given to serving ambassadors and to non-career ambassadors.

Secchia served for twelve years on the board for

Festa Italiana
, the region's largest annual ethnic festival and has participated in and sponsored many Italian-American events. He was awarded the NIAF Special Achievement Award for International Affairs, and lent his name to The Founding Values Initiative Award... the "Secchia Award for Heartfelt Commitment."

Philanthropy

In 2010, Secchia made a $1 million outright donation to Michigan State University, to be used to build a new stadium for the women's softball team at Old College Field, named Secchia Stadium.

A building on the

MSU College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids campus was named after Secchia. The building is part of the Grand Rapids Medical Mile
.

A building on the Grand Valley State University downtown Grand Rapids Pew Campus, built in 2000, was named after Secchia.

Death

Secchia died on October 21, 2020, after contracting COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan on top of other health issues over several months.[6][7]

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-495-79724-1
    . Retrieved July 5, 2011.
  2. ^ "Obituary: Peter F. Secchia", Blue Book Services, October 21, 2020. Accessed January 12, 2021. "Born April 15, 1937, Peter spent his early years in Tenafly, NJ, graduating from Tenafly High School and then serving in the United States Marine Corps with NATO and the 2nd Battalion 6th Marines in Beirut."
  3. ^ Johnson, Mark. "Peter Secchia, top MSU donor and prominent Republican, dies after contracting COVID-19". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  4. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved October 31, 2020.
  5. The Financial Times
    . April 2, 1990.
  6. ^ "Former US Ambassador Peter Secchia dies at 83". WOODTV.com. October 21, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  7. ^ "West Michigan business leader Peter Secchia dies at 83; COVID-19 was 'contributing factor'". Crain's Detroit Business. October 21, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  • "Secchia provides naming gift for new MSU softball stadium", Michigan State University News

External links

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
United States Ambassador to Italy

1989–1993 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Peter_Secchia&oldid=1107161089"