Dan Cirucci: Italian-American Heritage Month: Lee Iacocca

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Italian-American Heritage Month: Lee Iacocca

Lee Iacocca

When Lee Iacocca said "I gotta tell 'ya . . " America listened. Incredibly, this feisty, highly-competitive business exec became the only person to lead two of the Big Three American automakers. Iacocca himself often told of the classic rags-to-riches journey that led him to become one of the most celebrated executives of his era. Born Lido Iacocca to a hot dog vendor who was decimated by the Great Depression, he took an engineering degree to a sales position with Ford and, after introducing the wildly popular Mustang in 1964, became president of the company just six years later. Iacocca was gutsy, inimitable and on top ope the world -- until he was fired by chairman Henry Ford II in 1978. That didn't stop Lido. No way! Iacocca then embarked on an equally impressive second act by taking over as CEO of the floundering Chrysler Corporation. Instantly, his friendly visage filled the role of commercial pitchman as he dug the company out of debt and cemented his standing as what one writer described as "the nation's economic Winston Churchill." Iacocca was a visionary who was so compelling that, after he headed the hugely successful drive to restore the Statue of Liberty in time for its centennial, some people wanted him to become President of the United States. One thing's for sure: by then everybody knew how not pronounce his name!

Part of a month long series spotlighting a different accomplished Italian American every day during Italian American Heritage Month.

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About Dan Cirucci

He's been cited by the late Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed across all media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, a Save Jersey blog columnist, frequent guest on the Matt Rooney radio show and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post, Broad and Liberty and other print and online platforms.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include all things Italian, politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

He and his wife Carole have two grown children and seven grandchildren.

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