For almost 40 years, every day was Prince Spaghetti Day to Armand Giarrusso ’42. The now-classic “Wednesday is . . .” advertising slogan is part of the magic that made Lowell, Mass.-based Prince the undisputed king of pasta from the mid-1940s to the late 1980s. At the center of operations at the time was Giarrusso: CFO, board member, and corporate clerk.

“The president, Joe Pelligrino Sr., had a vision to grow the business,” says Giarrusso, a spry 89-year-old who lives in Florida.  “I handled all the acquisitions, mergers and financing.”

One notable deal was the acquisition of Roselli Foods, the only company at the time to package pasta sauce in jars.

“Everyone else was in cans. We renamed the product ‘Classico,’ but kept those jars,” Giarrusso recalls of the brand, which grew from annual sales of $30,000 to almost $40 million while owned by Prince. 

Called to Serve

Prince was not a first course for Giarrusso.

After graduating from Bentley in 1942, he was drafted by the Army and saw action in the Southwest Pacific during World War II. He was seriously wounded in combat and awarded the Purple Heart to honor his service and bravery under fire. 

“You never knew what the next day would bring,” he says of his wartime experience. “I was very fortunate to serve alongside some great men, many who paid the ultimate price.”

Back in Boston, the newly returned veteran married his longtime sweetheart, Evelyn, in 1946. He also began his professional career, as a treasury agent at the Internal Revenue Service. He was an IRS agent for 11 years when a friend presented him with an intriguing opportunity. 

“My friend knew Joe Pelligrino, who was looking for a chief financial officer – someone trustworthy and experienced, with a strong accounting background,” recounts Giarrusso, who had all the requisite skills but hesitated to surrender the security of his government post. “I thanked him for thinking of me, but said I was happy working as a federal agent.”

The conversation did not end there, however. Before long, Mrs. Giarrusso received a call from Mrs. Pelligrino, who invited the entire Giarrusso family over for a Sunday dinner.

“When we arrived, we discovered that Joe (Pelligrino) had invited members of the board and other top people at Prince to meet me — treasurer, office manager, supervisors – and, equally as important, for me to meet them,” says Giarrusso, who aced the impromptu job interview and was convinced to accept the post at Prince.

Hearty Portfolio

The years at Prince were fascinating, Giarrusso reports.

“You could never get bored,” he observes, noting that the firm made numerous acquisitions in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. “We were producing 10 million pounds of pasta a week.”

Giarrusso retired from Prince in 1987. His last official act: overseeing the company’s sale to Borden. The transaction was very much a family affair.  Giarrusso’s son and fellow Bentley alumnus – Jim Giarrusso MST ’77 – played a prominent role and soon succeeded his father as CFO.

Today, Giarrusso makes his home in Delray Beach, where he plays golf weekly and serves on the budget and finance committee at his country club. Though his beloved Evelyn passed away 11 years ago, he still celebrates their wedding anniversary with his children and their grown families.

Bentley, too, remains close to his heart.

“I love Bentley and still keep in touch,” notes Giarrusso. “In fact, when there’s a Bentley get-together in Florida, I’m usually in attendance.”