Armand Ceritano
Armando Ceritano | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Castel Castagna, Abruzzo, Italy |
| Died | May 2, 1990 (aged 58) Woodbury, New Jersey, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, wine merchant |
| Known for | Ceritano Wines, Philadelphia Hilton Inn acquisition |
Armando Ceritano (May 4, 1931 – May 2, 1990) was an entrepreneur of Italian origin who established his career in the United States. At age 17, he relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, initially engaging in construction work before launching his own bricklaying enterprise. During the 1970s, he diversified into the wine sector, achieving prominence for Ceritano Wines through television commercials broadcast in the Philadelphia region. In 1976, he acquired the Philadelphia Hilton Inn, but financial setbacks led to bankruptcy and the subsequent loss of ownership within a few years.
Early life
Born on May 4, 1931, in Castel Castagna, Abruzzo, Italy, Ceritano was the youngest among five brothers. His upbringing involved tending sheep, while his father worked as a stonemason. Growing up in humble surroundings—living in a simple hut and subsisting mainly on bread and wine—he emigrated to Philadelphia in 1948 with very limited means and minimal English proficiency. Despite only completing education up to the fifth grade, he arrived determined to build a successful future, carrying a handmade suitcase and wearing a suit he had earned through months of agricultural labor.
Upon arrival, Ceritano initially pursued tailoring but encountered challenges related to apprenticeship agreements. Nevertheless, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to shift focus toward construction and eventually expand into ventures involving wine production and hospitality management.
Early career
After becoming a full-time tailor, Ceritano saved enough capital to acquire a dry goods store. Soon thereafter, he supplemented his income by working part-time in construction and established his own bricklaying company within four years of immigrating. He secured government contracts for residential construction projects in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Profits from this enterprise enabled him to sponsor several of his brothers' immigration to the United States. Although he faced a substantial financial setback on a project in 1964, Ceritano rapidly rebounded and solidified his reputation as a prosperous businessman with considerable financial resources.
An avid opera fan, Ceritano served on the board of the Suburban Opera Company and later became president of the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company. He played an instrumental role in merging it with the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company to create the Philadelphia Opera Company, where he held the position of vice president. During a 1969 visit to Italy, he discovered tenor Walter Rinaldi, whom he brought to America, supporting his education and promoting him through Ceritano Enterprises.
By 1972, Ceritano was overseeing bricklaying and masonry contracts exceeding $10 million annually throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. In 1973, he founded S&C Investors, Inc., aiming to develop Northwoods—a housing subdivision planned to include 101 homes—in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The project's success hinged on Cherry Hill's commitment to construct a drainage ditch on marshy terrain—a promise initially fulfilled but later rescinded by a new municipal administration. This withdrawal restricted construction activities and resulted in foreclosure on $1 million worth of mortgages by 1975.
In 1975, Ceritano acquired the Shepherd's Inn restaurant in Cherry Hill for $100,000 and sold it six months later for $300,000 before venturing into the wine industry.
Ceritano Wines and acquisition of the Hilton Inn
In 1969, Ceritano recognized a growing demand for wine and began strategizing import plans. By 1970, he had negotiated a deal with the Italian government to import wine from Abruzzi starting in 1975 for resale purposes. To fund Ceritano Wines, he secured a loan reported to range between $500,000 and $2 million.
From 1975 onward, Ceritano launched an aggressive marketing campaign in the Philadelphia region through television and radio advertisements. His unique look combined with a pronounced accent helped establish a memorable brand identity that resonated strongly with local audiences, cultivating a devoted following and broad recognition. His commercials, produced on a modest budget and often improvised, featured the tagline: "Drink my wine, only if it gives you a moment of joy." This effective branding translated into significant sales growth, amassing considerable wealth by 1976. Additionally, Ceritano hosted a Saturday evening TV program titled Moment of Joy and actively promoted his wines at Philadelphia Phillies games, including purchasing and distributing 31,000 playoff tickets in 1976.
In December 1976, Ceritano purchased the Philadelphia Hilton Inn, a property that had been struggling financially and was facing foreclosure. The Inn had previously served as the headquarters for his wine operations. Taking on its $6.8 million mortgage, Ceritano leveraged his local popularity and business reputation to facilitate the acquisition. He expressed optimism about revitalizing the hotel, acquiring it with minimal initial expense beyond a $20 filing fee borrowed from acquaintances.
Financial difficulties and bankruptcy
Ceritano’s financial ventures began to deteriorate in 1977 due to multiple monetary challenges. In 1976, he obtained a $585,000 loan from Fidelity Bank to finance "futures" contracts guaranteeing future wine deliveries. The loan terms permitted the bank to demand full repayment at any moment. Ceritano criticized these conditions as overly restrictive since Fidelity required repayment before releasing the entire loan amount.
In December 1976, Fidelity Bank called in the loan. By May 1977, a New Jersey Superior Court mandated Ceritano to repay over $600,000 to Fidelity. Unable to fulfill this obligation, the bank seized his stockpile of 45,000 wine cases valued at approximately $720,000.
In July 1977, Westinghouse Credit moved to reclaim ownership of the Hilton Inn recently acquired by Ceritano. Concurrently, the City of Philadelphia filed suit against him for $657,932 in unpaid hotel taxes and alleged breaches of agreed payment schedules and pledged stock agreements. Hotel employees initiated strikes over unpaid benefits and contract violations; subsequently, a judge ordered Ceritano to reinstate union workers and remove replacement staff.
Westinghouse accused Ceritano of misappropriating hotel resources by diverting funds for personal use and promoting other Ceritano enterprises using hotel advertising while neglecting franchise fees and rent collections from Ceritano Wines. Ceritano defended these actions as necessary measures to increase hotel revenue, noting improvements such as higher occupancy rates and reducing losses from $1 million to $700,000.
On July 25, 1977, Ceritano filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy protection aiming to reorganize the Inn’s finances and prevent foreclosure by Westinghouse; the court rejected Westinghouse’s motion to dismiss this filing. In September of that year, a judge ordered Ceritano to transfer his 49 shares in Ceritano Wines to the City of Philadelphia. A federal bankruptcy judge appointed a trustee who handed operational control of the Inn to a Pittsburgh-based hotel management company and prohibited Ceritano from accessing the property due to disruptions in management.
By December 1977, Ceritano resolved outstanding tax liabilities with Philadelphia by paying $486,314. In 1978, Fidelity Bank foreclosed on his assets; portions of his wine inventory were auctioned off in January 1979. Later that year, despite attempts by Ceritano to prevent it, a court authorized Fidelity’s request to auction his residence through sheriff’s sale.
By 1981, reports depicted Ceritano as having declined from millionaire status to near poverty. By 1982, he was employed selling condominiums for Ellis Construction Co.
Personal life and death
In 1951, Ceritano was introduced to Frances Cini, the sister of vocalist Al Martino, through a blind date, and they wed the following year. The couple became parents to three daughters. He resided in New Jersey during his later years and passed away at the age of 58 due to heart failure on May 2, 1990, in Woodbury. Ceritano's final resting place is Holy Cross Cemetery located in Yeadon, Pennsylvania.