Marzitelli, Frank D., 1914 -.

Frank D. Marzitelli was born on February 25th, 1914 in St. Paul, Minnesota. The son of Italian immigrants, Marzitelli grew up in St. Paul's predominantly immigrant Levee neighborhood, located on the river flats under the High Bridge that was later cleared of houses after floods in 1951 and 1952. He attended public schools, graduating in 1931 from Mechanic Arts High School. After finishing high school, Marzitelli first worked at Purity Baking Company, where he joined and became very active in the Bakers and Confectionery Workers Union Local #21. He served as a union official for fifteen years. In 1950, with the help of the unions, Marzitelli was elected to the St. Paul City Council where he served until 1957. Major accomplishments included the abolition of the Department of Education and creation of the Independent School Board, the expansion of the branch library system, and the founding of the Saint Paul Arts and Science Council. Marzitelli never earned a college degree, but took extension classes in business, economics, and government at the University of Minnesota over a period of fourteen years.

Although his six years on the city council were his only service in an elected office, Marzitelli continued to serve in state and municipal government in a diverse series of appointments including Deputy Commissioner of Highways (1957-1961) and Executive Vice President of the Port Authority of St. Paul (1961-1972). In 1972 Mayor Larry Cohen appointed Marzitelli as St. Paul's first city administrator. Governor Wendell Anderson appointed him Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Highways in 1975, and he went on to serve with another state agency from 1976 to 1978 as Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Welfare.

Marzitelli joined and held offices in a number of volunteer organizations. He served as president of Minnesota Good Roads, Inc., from 1967 to 1979. He was also active in numerous service and fraternal organizations, including the Elks, the Knights of Columbus, and the St. Paul chapter of UNICO, an Italian-American service organization, for which he served as president.

Marzitelli devoted much of his talent and energies to culture and the arts. He served as board member to Theatre Saint Paul, Chimera Theatre, Great American History Theatre, Minnesota Museum of American Art, United Arts, Minnesota Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and the Twin City Jazz Society. During his years in municipal government, he served on the board of Minnesota Landmarks and played a major role in accomplishing the restoration of the Old Federal Courts Building as a home for arts organizations, later renamed Landmark Center. In 1975 he was appointed to the Civic Center Theater Project by the mayor of St. Paul. In 1978 he became President of the St. Paul-Ramsey Arts and Science Council, and in 1980 assumed management responsibility for the location, design, construction, and funding for the new Ordway Music Theatre, later joining its Board of Directors as Secretary and Consultant.

Another focus of Marzitelli's work in St. Paul was the development of hospitals and health care facilities. He contributed twenty years to the board of St. Joseph's Hospital, five of them as its president, and also served on the board of Associated Capital Hospitals.

Marzitelli married Helen Misch of Independence, Wisconsin in 1938. They became the parents of seven children. Frank Marzitelli died on August 15, 2000 at age 86 of congestive heart failure.

From the guide to the Frank D. Marzitelli papers., 1957-1981., (Minnesota Historical Society)