Joe Mavilia |
Bio & Philosophy |
Beginnings
Quincy, Massachusetts
I was born on November 25, 1939. It was a turbulent time in Europe and soon to be the world.
Dad had arrived in Boston from Sicily in 1915. He was born Dominic Puglisi in 1907 in San Francisco, California - So the Family Name is PUGLISI. His mother, Carmella left his Mr. Frank Puglisi and returned to Sicily in 1908. Dad would later be adopted by Carmella's second and final husband John Mavilia. He was a barber in Massachusetts and gave me my first haircut which I still remember to this day. They used hand clippers in those days (no electric clippers) and they worked poorly and pulled the hair out rather than cutting it.
Mom was born in Boston, also to Sicilian parents who journeyed like so many at the turn of the 20th century via Ellis Island next to the Statue of Liberty in the New York harbor. They were Mr.and Mrs. Joseph Oliveri but the folks in immigration were obviously not Italian and wrote it Oliver. What a twist, eh?
High School
Oh Happy Days . The Fonz isn't in this photo, but it is reminiscent of the 1950's when life was simpler, even if we didn't realize it at the time. This picture was taken in 1957 or 1958 of four cool guys from the Pasadena High School graduating class of 1957. The car, of course, is a Ford Model A.
Don Hanes / Gale Davis / Dick Frost / Gary Philpott
Click on Photo for full screen picture.
US Navy
After high school I spent a 4 year tour of duty in the
Navy (1958-1962) with friends Norm Seastedt and Don Miller. After boot camp the
three of us were off to Norman, OK and Memphis, TN for Class A and Class C
electronics technician schools. I landed in a seaplane squadron based in
San Diego, and the Philippines from late 1959 through January 1961. Norm found
duty in a fighter squadron and Don was also assigned to an
anti-submarine squadron flying P2Vs instead of the P5Ms my squadron flew.
Joe in the Barracks, Sangley Point,
PI
Friends in the Radio Room
College to President
After my tour of duty in the US Navy, 5 years in college, I
developed a career in accounting and began with what is now Price Waterhouse/ Coopers, CPA's, as a
staff auditor, and after a few years I moved on to the Automotive Industry. The
new move was to a small national conglomerate engaged in remanufacturing of brake related products, franchising,
leasing and care for the mentally retarded. I learned
the products and more importantly met the people in the business
world of cars, trucks and racing. ABC Mobile Brake Co. taught folks how to operate their
own business in the supply and service to auto repair facilities.
As president of this national business, me and my management team helped ABC to grow to operate in 35 states and collectively represent 6% of the Gross National Product of brake work done in America in 1977. Business associates included Ford Motor Co., Bendix Corporation, Johns Manville and FMC Corp. to name a few. As a national platform speaker, his job was to inspire and inform and promote further growth. Racing became a vehicle for promoting the concept of winning.
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National Convention / Riviera Hotel Las Vegas |
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Management Team / ABC Mobile Systems |
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The auto industry is obviously big business and the growth of the car business in America and the world was in part made possible from the great sport of Racing. The company sponsored a Formula Atlantic circuit race team. Its young driver Dick Ferguson did well for ABC and finally went on to Indianapolis. |
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ABC sponsors racing / Formula Atlantic |
Other Ventures
The Newspaper Business
| With a love of writing and involvement in owning an automotive repair business with brother John I began writing about cars. The writing led me to join magazine and newspaper publisher, Vince Bodiford and race driver, Price Cobb in an effort to own and operate our own newspapers in Colorado and Texas. After a few short years we sold the papers. Vince stayed in the newspaper business and Price developed an IRL league race team. The Colorado adventure with the oldest Weekly, west of the Mississippi was a great experience, and the people were great. Meeting and working with Vince, Price and Company led to lasting friendships and business adventures. |
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IRL Race / Las Vegas1998 |
Joe - Price Cobb - & (wife) Charissa Cobb |
The Software Business
In 1980 I joined a former Price Waterhouse, Coopers associate Rick Guerrero to develop, market and support accounting software for the newly developing computer industry.
Personal Things
| Other friends - because we can't be ALL business. |  |
Theresa
Joe
Ilona |
This is a case of Beauty and the beast. It is also good for Polish - Italian relations. I'm a second-generation transplant from Sicily and my two friends were born in Poland. If there is another thing I love more than cars it has to be good friends.
Ilona
My family grows a bit...
In
the 21st Century I'm Grampa
Joe 
to my Grandchildren
Cierra and Brandon and...
... Natalie, Taylor and Nicolas and Lyla came along in 2006.
Another love is the game of GOLF. . .
. .
. because it combines personal performance with friends who don't complain.
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Steve Garvey
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| Golf outing with Los Angeles Dodger baseball great Steve Garvey. |
Philosophy
Life is truly beautiful. And like countryman Roberto Benini, film producer, Joe learned to appreciate or at least accept everything that's dealt to us in this life. Joe embraced that philosophy of living because "I've decided there must be some purpose, good or bad, in everything that happens to us, which is aptly stated by the Apostle Paul to the Romans - Ch. 8, verse 28, where he said, '"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
At one time I pondered
thoughts of whether I was an agnostic... until I learned from Dr. Mark Eastman that agnostic is
Latin for
ignoramus. It's Greek to me.
[Click Here to Visit Mark's Page]
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