Gabriello Cecchi
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Commander Gabriello Cecchi (c. 1914 - 2000) was an Italian entrepreneur in the gelato industry.[1] He created the Gelati Cecchi brand in 1936 and later founded Cecchi Industries after the Second World War. He managed the company until 1973,[2] when he sold it to the Italian group Barilla.[3] Following the sale, he remained Honorary Chairman and Director within the group and at Motta-Nestlé until the 1990s. The brand was later relaunched by his grandson, Stefano Cecchi.[4][5][6]
Cecchi was the patron of the Serie-A Pallacanestro Biella team[7][8][9] and a co-founder of a Turin bank. He was a member of the International Brigades that fought Francisco Franco's Fascist army in Spain during the Spanish Civil War. Later, having returned to Italy, he became a member of the Garibaldi 77th assault brigade as part of the Italian Resistance.[10]
Honours
Cecchi was awarded several civil and military honours at both national and international level, in recognition of his entrepreneurial activity and his role during wartime. These include:
- Commander (Première Classe) of the Order of the Crown (Belgium)
- Commander of Merit of the Military Order of St. Bridget of Sweden
- Italian War Merit Cross