18.08.2009

Lucy Valla 1940 - 2009

Mrs Lucy Valla, president of Valla SpA and widow of John Valla, passed away on Saturday August 15th.

Lucilla (Lucy) Valla was born in Turin, Italy, in 1940, the daughter of a senior Fiat executive, and the granddaughter of Felice Nazzaro, one of Italy's greatest automobile racing champions. She married Gian Edoardo (John) Valla in 1963, and relocated to Milan, where John and his father, Antonio, had started the company that is today Valla - the pick & carry crane manufacturer.
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Lucy Valla

While raising three children, Lucy always made time to travel and be by her husband's side during the development and growth of the Valla crane business from the mid-60's onwards.

John and Lucy and their three children (Antonio, Roberto and Marco) moved to California in 1983 and opened an American operation based in Fresno.

After John's untimely passing in September 2005, and a nine year fight against cancer, she gathered her children around her (Antonio is a corporate lawyer, Roberto director for Southern Europe of Boeing's Integrated Defense Systems while Marco is managing director at Barclay's Capital in New York) and stepped into Johns shoes as president of Valla, joined on the board of directors by Antonio and, more recently, Dr. Paolo Silva, a financial advisor and close friend.

Lucy Valla was one of a dying breed of strong matriarchs behind many of Europe's small to mid sized family companies. She will be missed not only by her immediate family and friends, but by her extended family at Valla Cranes.