John Cabot University Mourns Loss of Beloved Trustee Sal Davino
The John Cabot University community is saddened to announce that beloved Trustee Sal Davino passed away on January 17 from complications related to COVID-19. A distinguished entrepreneur and philanthropist, he was 79 years old.
Trustee Sal Davino
Born and raised in South Orange, New Jersey, Trustee Davino began his career working with his father’s home improvement business. He later became interested in commercial real estate and eventually became Chairman of the Fidelity Land Development Corporation, the company that he founded in 1978. During his career, he built, owned, and managed shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, golf and recreation centers, and medical timeshare units. He was the Co-Chair of the New Jersey/Italy Trade Council, an organization formed at the request of the New Jersey Governor to promote trade between the state and Italy.
Davino’s philanthropic initiatives and community involvement mirrored his professional success. Among his countless humanitarian activities, he served on the Boards of many organizations including Redemptoris Mater Seminary, the Cathedral Healthcare System, the Shepherds of Youth Charitable Trust, and Columbus Hospital in Newark, New Jersey, where he oversaw a $20 million expansion program. Chairman Emeritus of the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission, he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and was inducted into the Italian-American National Hall of Fame for his philanthropic endeavors.
In announcing to the Board of Trustees, Trustee Davino’s passing, Chairman Sal Salibello and President Franco Pavoncello wrote, “Sal was a great man, devoted husband and father, and a good friend to many of us. He was an outstanding entrepreneur, in love with his work and life. He was a philanthropist, who single-handedly kept an inner-city school open. He always had a smile on his face, and a witty comment to accompany any situation. Sal loved JCU. He joined the Board of Trustees in 2007 when JCU was only one building, and he was enthusiastic about the school’s growth. We all benefited from Sal’s insight and wisdom. He will be sorely missed by us all. On behalf of the entire JCU community, we would like to express our heartfelt condolences to his wife Fran and the entire Davino family.”
