Nicola Romeo ( / ˈ r oʊ m i oʊ / ; Italian: [niˈkɔːla roˈmɛːo] ; April 28, 1876 – August 15, 1938) was an Italian engineer and business owner best known for starting the car company Alfa Romeo. He worked as a senator during the 18th Legislature of the Kingdom of Italy.
Career
Romeo earned a degree in engineering from the Politecnico di Napoli (now known as Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II) in 1899. Afterward, he worked for a few years in other countries and completed another bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in Liège, Belgium. In 1911, he returned to Italy and founded "Ing. Nicola Romeo e Co." The company made machines and equipment for the mining industry. As the business grew, Romeo wanted to expand and bought most of the shares in a car manufacturing company based in Milan called A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili) in 1915. Three years later, in 1918, Romeo owned all of the company. A.L.F.A. was renamed to "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili Romeo." The first car with the Alfa Romeo name was the 1921 Torpedo 20/30 HP. The company became well-known for creating stylish and safe cars, as well as parts for airplanes. However, in 1927, the company nearly went out of business because of poor financial decisions. During a difficult meeting, Romeo was asked to leave the company, but the new leader, Pasquale Gallo, convinced him to remain as president. Romeo officially left Alfa Romeo in 1928.
Engineering companies
Nicola Romeo owned several engineering companies. He did not own all of them at the same time. These companies were:
- Ing. Nicola Romeo e Co.
- Società Nicola Romeo di Saronno
- Costruzioni Meccaniche di Saronno
- CEMSA
- Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali – OFM
- Industrie Meccaniche e Aeronautiche Meridionali – IMAN
Family
In 1905, he married Angelina Valadin, who was a Portuguese opera singer and pianist. They had seven children: Maurizio, Edoardo, Nicholas, Elena, Giulietta, Piera, and Irene.
Death
Nicola Romeo passed away on August 15, 1938, in his home in Lake Como when he was 62 years old. About 70 years after his death, to celebrate the 130th anniversary of his birth, the city of Naples honored him by naming a street in Rione Lauro after him, called Via Nicola Romeo.