Ignazio A. "Ig" Vella (July 13, 1928 – June 9, 2011) was an American businessman and cheese maker who served on the
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
A board of supervisors is a governmental body that oversees the operation of county government in the U.S. states of Arizona, California, Iowa, Mississippi, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as 16 counties in New York. There are equivalent agenc ...
.
Biography
Vella was born on July 13, 1928, to Gaetano "Tom" Vella and Zolita (Clerici) Vella of
Sonoma, California.
He attended
Sonoma Valley High School,
the San Rafael Military Academy, and Air Force Officer Candidate School. In 1950, he graduated ''
magna cum laude
Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some So ...
'' from Santa Clara University with a bachelor's degree in history.
His father owned the
Vella Cheese Company, Inc. in California and the
Rogue Creamery in Oregon, which he turned over to his children.
- Vella took control of both companies and was their general manager and
chief executive officer. He sold Rogue Creamery in 2002.
Vella served three terms (twelve years) on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors, where he represented the First District.
He was also on the Sonoma City Planning Commission and manager of the Sonoma County Fair. During the 1970s, he was president of the
Association of Bay Area Governments.
In 2006, Vella was honored by the City of Sonoma, which named the West Napa Street bridge over
Sonoma Creek after him.
In the same year, the
American Cheese Society
The American Cheese Society (ACS) is a non-profit trade group for the American cheese industry that was founded in 1983.
ACS promotes American cheeses, provides the industry with educational resources and networking opportunities and encourages ...
recognized Vella with a Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to
artisan cheese
Artisanal cheese refers to cheeses produced by hand using the traditional craftsmanship of skilled cheesemakers. As a result, the cheeses are often more complex in taste and variety. Many are aged and ripened to achieve certain aesthetics. This c ...
.
After a prolonged illness, Vella died at his home in Sonoma, aged 83.
See also
*
List of cheesemakers
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vella, Ignazio
1928 births
2011 deaths
Businesspeople from California
County supervisors in California
Cheesemakers
People from Sonoma, California
Santa Clara University alumni
San Francisco Bay Area politicians
Food and drink in the San Francisco Bay Area
20th-century American businesspeople
Sonoma Valley High School alumni