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Nello Ferrara

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Entrepreneur

The Resume

    (1918-February 3, 2012)
    Born in Chicago, Illinois
    Chairman of the Ferrara Pan Candy Company of Chicago
    Son of company founder Salvatore Ferrara
    Created Atomic Fireballs (1954) and Lemonheads (1962)
    Inducted into the Candy Hall of Fame (1974)

Why he might be annoying:

    He had to repeat the first grade because of his poor English.
    Atomic Fireballs were inspired by his time in Japan during the post-WWII occupation. (Because nothing says 'new candy flavor' like smoldering radioactive debris.)
    He claimed he came up with the idea for Lemonheads because his son was born with a lemon-shaped head.
    When he met Frank Sinatra at a charity event, he tried to outsing him. (His son recalled, 'My dad insisted that he had a better voice, he just wasn’t as good looking.')

Why he might not be annoying:

    As a young attorney, he worked with the US Army war crimes tribunal in Tokyo.
    He and his wife Marilyn were married for 63 years.
    He was knighted by Italy as a Cavalier to the Order of the Merit of the Republic for founding the Villa Sacalabrini nursing home.
    National Confectioners Association President Larry Graham said, 'He was an icon in the industry. He was known for helping out other candy companies in distress, for cementing deals with just a handshake, and for being a great ambassador for the industry.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 21 Votes: 28.57% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 142 Votes: 63.38% Annoying