Frank P. Pellegrino

Frank Paul Pellegrino was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was the longestserving Chairman and CEO of the International Hat Company. Pellegrino built numerous factories across Southeastern Missouri, managing the company into becoming the largest manufacturing employer in the region by the 1960s.

Pellegrino was the third of eight children and the only child not born in St. Louis. His father and mother emigrated from Italy in 1891 from Cerisano in Calabria, Italy. His father, Ferdinando Pellegrino, was a soldier in the Royal Italian Army in the late 19th century. He received American citizenship in 1896 after renouncing fealty to King Umberto I of Italy. With the death of Ferdinandos father in 1900, the family returned to Italy to sell the Cerisano farm. At this time, Italy was in the midst of a depression. While waiting the sale of the property, Pellegrino was born in 1901. It took several years to sell the property before the family permanently returned to the United States.

Source: Wikipedia