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John A. Volpe

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Article Genealogy
Parent: Everett, Massachusetts Hop 2
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John A. Volpe
NameJohn A. Volpe
CaptionOfficial portrait, c. 1969
Office61st Governor of Massachusetts
Term startJanuary 3, 1961
Term endJanuary 7, 1963
LieutenantEdward F. McLaughlin Jr.
PredecessorFoster Furcolo
SuccessorEndicott Peabody
Term start2January 5, 1965
Term end2January 22, 1969
Lieutenant2Elliot Richardson
Predecessor2Endicott Peabody
Successor2Francis W. Sargent
Office32nd United States Secretary of Transportation
President3Richard Nixon
Term start3January 22, 1969
Term end3February 2, 1973
Predecessor3Alan S. Boyd
Successor3Claude Brinegar
Office4United States Ambassador to Italy
President4Richard Nixon
Term start4February 2, 1973
Term end4January 23, 1977
Predecessor4Graham Martin
Successor4Richard N. Gardner
Office5Commissioner of Public Works of Massachusetts
Governor5Christian Herter
Term start51953
Term end51956
Predecessor5William F. Callahan
Successor5John T. Driscoll
Birth nameJohn Anthony Volpe
Birth dateDecember 8, 1908
Birth placeWakefield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Death dateNovember 11, 1994 (aged 85)
Death placeNahant, Massachusetts, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseJennie Benedetto, 1934, 1990
EducationWentworth Institute of Technology (did not graduate)
BranchUnited States Navy
Serviceyears1943–1945
RankLieutenant (jg)
BattlesWorld War II

John A. Volpe was an American politician and businessman who served as the 61st Governor of Massachusetts and the second United States Secretary of Transportation. A member of the Republican Party, his career was defined by major contributions to transportation infrastructure and public works. He later served as the United States Ambassador to Italy under President Richard Nixon.

Early life and education

John Anthony Volpe was born on December 8, 1908, in Wakefield, Massachusetts, to Italian immigrant parents from Abruzzo. He attended Wakefield High School before studying at the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, though he left before graduating to enter the family construction business. During World War II, he served as a Lieutenant (junior grade) in the United States Navy's Seabees, the naval construction battalions, gaining valuable engineering experience.

Business career

After the war, Volpe expanded the family firm, the Volpe Construction Company, into one of the largest construction companies in New England. The company secured major contracts for projects like the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Connecticut Turnpike, establishing his reputation in the field. His success in the private sector provided the foundation for his subsequent public service career focused on infrastructure development.

Political career

Volpe's political career began with his appointment as Commissioner of Public Works by Governor Christian Herter in 1953. In this role, he oversaw significant highway expansion projects. He first ran for Governor of Massachusetts in 1960, narrowly losing to the incumbent, Foster Furcolo. He was elected the following year, beginning his first term in 1961.

Governorship of Massachusetts

Volpe served two non-consecutive terms as governor, from 1961 to 1963 and again from 1965 to 1969. His administrations were marked by a focus on modernizing the state's infrastructure, including advancing the Interstate Highway System. He also signed legislation creating the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) and championed increased funding for public higher education. He was defeated for re-election in 1962 by Endicott Peabody but successfully reclaimed the office from Peabody in 1964.

Service as U.S. Secretary of Transportation

In 1969, President Richard Nixon appointed Volpe as the second United States Secretary of Transportation. During his tenure, he oversaw the creation of Amtrak and the consolidation of postal mail delivery into the new United States Postal Service. He was a key advocate for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and implemented the first national airport and airways development program. He resigned from the cabinet in early 1973.

Later life and legacy

Following his cabinet service, Volpe was appointed United States Ambassador to Italy, serving from 1973 to 1977 during a period of significant political turmoil in that nation. In retirement, he remained active in civic affairs. The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was named in his honor. He died on November 11, 1994, in Nahant, Massachusetts, and is interred at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield, Massachusetts.

Category:1908 births Category:1994 deaths Category:Governors of Massachusetts Category:United States Secretaries of Transportation Category:United States ambassadors to Italy Category:Massachusetts Republicans