Guy F. Tozzoli
Guy Frederick Tozzoli | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date North Bergen, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 2, 2013 (aged 90) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Director of the World Trade Department, Co-founder of the World Trade Centers Association |
| Years active | 1960s–2011 |
| Known for | Conception and construction of the World Trade Center towers, co-founding the World Trade Centers Association |
Guy Frederick Tozzoli (born February 12, 1922, in North Bergen, New Jersey – passed away February 2, 2013, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) served as the director of the World Trade Department at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey during the 1960s. He was instrumental in the conception and construction of the World Trade Center towers. Additionally, Tozzoli was a co-founder of the World Trade Centers Association, which advocates for the establishment and development of World Trade Centers globally. While Tozzoli managed initiatives from New York City, his colleagues Tadayoshi Yamada and Paul Fabry oversaw activities in Tokyo and New Orleans respectively. A graduate of Fordham University and a military lieutenant who served in both World War II and the Korean War, Tozzoli appointed architect Minoru Yamasaki to design the World Trade Center complex, which officially opened in April 1973. He stepped down as Director of the World Trade Department in 1987 but continued to serve as president of the World Trade Centers Association until January 2011.
In 2013, disclosures showed that significant revenue was generated by the Association through licensing the "World Trade Center" name following a 1987 agreement where the Port Authority transferred local naming rights for $10. The income derived from licensing agreements with members and merchandise sales was considerable, while the Association handled global trademark registration and enforcement. The Port Authority supported this mission by offering rent-free office space and assistance, with personnel functioning as the trade facilitation division of the World Trade Center.
Tozzoli earned recognition for advancing international trade collaboration under the principle of Peace through Trade and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times. At the conclusion of his tenure with the Association, his annual salary was $513,000, complemented by a public pension amounting to $113,000.