The Lariccia Family
Tony Lariccia was only eight years old when he got his first lesson in the importance of giving. Having just unwrapped a Twinkie® and about to take his first bite, Tony’s father admonished him, stating, “Don’t put that in your mouth without offering it to someone else first. Break it in half and share it.”
Fast-forward more than 50 years: Tony is still sharing. In 2006, Lariccia made a $4 million gift to the Williamson College of Business Administration, representing the largest gift to YSU by an individual donor and the largest ever by an individual donor and the largest ever by an alumnus. In recognition of this philanthropy, YSU will establish The Lariccia School of Accounting and Finance.
In 1966, Anthony James Lariccia, who describes himself as a “just a kid from Struthers,” earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Youngstown State University. He started working at Merrill Lynch in 1970 and was promoted to vice president in 1978, a positon he still holds.
The Lariccia Family – Tony, Mary, Natalie, and Dana, B.S. Ed., ’08, are proud supporters of YSU and the Mahoning Valley region. “We believe the university will continue to play a vital role in the resurgence of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, and that’s something we want to support,” Lariccia said. In addition to his financial commitment, Lariccia served as chairman of the Centennial Campaign Cabinet. Tied to the university’s centennial in 2008, the five-year Centennial Campaign had a dollar goal of $43 million and ultimately raised $53 million.
Lariccia’s prior gifts to YSU include $750,000 for the Andrews Recreation and Wellness Center in 2002; $100,000 to commission a statue of legendary coach Dominic Rosselli in 2004; $100,000 to the nursing department in 2006; $100,000 to commission a statue of Howard W. Jones, YSU’s first president, also in 2006; and most recently, $100,000 to the Watson and Tressel Training Site.