1953 On March 18, Romolo Cicutto died. Romolo had studied architecture at the University of Prague and spoke six languages. He had worked as an architect in Czechoslovakia, before fleeing the rise of fascism in Europe with his mother and brothers and taking up a position at Melocco Brothers. He worked alongside Galli in the concrete and construction side of the firm, where his keen intelligence and generosity of spirit were irreplaceable. When he died, Peter Melocco said, “We have lost the key to the front door.”

“Romolo was one of the great men of Melocco Brothers. He was a magnificent man. In fact, he was more a father to me than my father. And he did more to expand the company, in the great years of the fifties when it became quite an empire, than anybody, in my opinion. His gift was to get things done. It was all very well to make the policies in the boardroom but everybody looked to Romolo to get it done. He died far too young.” — John Melocco

“The only time I ever saw my father shed a tear was when Romolo died.” — Ann Melocco Trenoweth