John Anthony Volpe was an American businessman, diplomat, and politician from Massachusetts.
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20 Facts About John Volpe
2.
John Volpe was the son of Italian immigrants Vito and Filomena Volpe, who had come from Pescosansonesco, Abruzzo to Boston's North End on the SS Canopic in 1905; his father was in the construction business.
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3.
John Volpe attended the Wentworth Institute in Boston where he majored in architectural construction and entered the construction business, building his own firm in 1930.
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4.
John Volpe was a Knight of Malta and a member of the Knights of Columbus.
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5.
In 1960, Volpe was elected Governor of Massachusetts, defeating Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth Joseph D Ward.
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6.
In 1962, John Volpe was narrowly defeated for reelection, losing to former Governor's Councillor and JFK friend Endicott Peabody.
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7.
In 1964, Volpe ran again for governor and was able to capitalize on disarray within the Massachusetts Democratic Party when Lieutenant Governor Francis X Bellotti defeated Peabody for the Democratic nomination for governor.
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8.
In 1966, Volpe was elected to the first four-year term in Massachusetts history, defeating former Massachusetts Attorney General Edward J McCormack, Jr.
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9.
Governor John Volpe raised revenues, engaging in a long and ultimately successful fight to institute a three percent state sales tax.
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10.
John Volpe served as president of the National Governors Association from 1967 to 1968.
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11.
In 1968, John Volpe stood unsuccessfully as a "favorite son" candidate in the Massachusetts Republican presidential primary.
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12.
John Volpe resigned as governor to assume the cabinet post, and served in that position from 1969 to 1973.
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13.
John Volpe was notably instrumental in effectively ending attempts to revive Boston's failed Inner Belt project, which he had promoted as highway administrator.
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14.
John Volpe was the second to serve in this role following the position becoming a Cabinet-level appointment.
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15.
John Volpe received the Award of Excellence in 1970 from Engineering News-Record for his service as Secretary of Transportation.
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16.
John Volpe had a long and abiding interest in the homeland of his parents, and visited it many times.
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17.
In 1973, John Volpe was nominated by President Nixon and confirmed by the United States Senate as United States Ambassador to Italy, a position he held until 1977.
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18.
John Volpe was accused by the Italian Communist press of being "neo-Fascist" for his views.
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19.
John Volpe was buried at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield, Massachusetts.
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20.
John Volpe's papers are stored in the Archives and Special Collections of the Northeastern University Libraries, in Boston.
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