Almerindo Portfolio
Almerindo Portfolio | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Schiavi di Abruzzo, Italy |
| Died | January 23, 1966 (aged 87) Gabriels, New York, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, banker, newspaper publisher, commodity trader, investment banker |
| Known for | Treasurer of New York City during Mayor Fiorello La Guardia's administration; president of the Bank of Sicily in New York |
Almerindo Portfolio (born 23 May 1878 – died 23 January 1966) was an Italian-born financier and banker who served as the treasurer of New York City during the administration of Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. Originally from Schiavi di Abruzzo, Italy, he immigrated to the United States in 1888 and officially changed his name from Almerindo Porfilio in 1908.
Starting his career earning just $2 per week as a messenger, Portfolio eventually became president of the Bank of Sicily in New York. He also managed a cloak and suit manufacturing business, which he generously transferred ownership to six employees in 1924. His professional experience extended to roles such as newspaper publisher, commodity trader, and investment banker.
From 1917 to 1919, he invested 300,000 Lira (roughly $2 million in 2025 value) to establish the first electric power system in Schiavi di Abruzzo. Subsequently, he donated an additional 50,000 Lira (approximately $370,000 in 2025 dollars) to improve the town’s water infrastructure.
In 1940, Portfolio participated as a delegate at the Republican National Convention. Five years later, he became part of a committee composed of prominent Italian Americans that advocated for Italy’s alignment with the Allies during World War II.
He passed away on January 25, 1966, at age 88, at a tuberculosis treatment center located in Gabriels, New York. His brother-in-law and biographer was the diplomat Paolo Alberto Rossi.
See also
External links
- Official website
- Biography in Italian: La Vita di Almerindo Portfolio, by Paolo A. Rossi (1966)
- Reflections by Pasqualino Falasca, with author permission, in Italian