Pasqual A. Donvito NEC Notice
Home \| Links \| Personal \| Professional \| Contact Info
Personal Pat Donvito Nick Ruggieri art Professional Resume Recent projects Education Teaching Course descriptions Systems engineering	IN MEMORIAM Pasqual A. Don Vito (1926-2001) JULY / AUGUST 2001 The Club lost one of its most dedicated members with the death of Pat Don Vito on May 21 at Sibley Hospital in Washington. A retired consulting economist, he was 75 years old and had been an NEC member since 1985. He served the Club as Treasurer (1990), President (1995) and Chairman (1996) and was responsible for several innovations, most notably the adoption of a formal, annual budget. As President, Pat initiated a series of evening NEC meetings at various embassies to which an embassy officer spoke about his country's economic policy. These talks were well attended, perhaps in part because they were followed by receptions that featured the cuisine of the host country. Pat personally did all the letter-writing and telephoning necessary to acquaint the embassies with the NEC and to make arrangements for the meetings. "Every organization I've ever heard of has a budget except the National Economists Club," Pat said, with a little heat, upon assuming his duties as Treasurer in the spring of 1990. With a nod from me, then President, Pat set to drafting the NEC's first operating budget. There has been one every year since then. That same year, Pat also undertook to design and have made a teledisc with the Club's name on it (originally suggested by Jim kenworthy); it hung on the lectern at meetings so that when C-Span and other TV crews taped NEC speakers, viewers would be in no doubt whose meeting they were watching. A quiet man with an unassuming manner, Pat was, as his son Paul put it, always convinced there was a better way to do things, an easier, simpler, more effective way." As NEC Treasurer, he chafed at the considerable cost of printing the monthly newsletter--and found a printer who would do the job cheaper. As President, he abolished a long-standing (and largely unenforced) policy that members who made a luncheon reservation and failed to show without canceling were obliged to pay anyway. He had believed for years that this penalty discouraged reservations and attendance. A native of Harrisburg, PA, Pat was the son of Italian immigrants. He served in the Navy during World War II. In 1949, when he received a B.A. in economics from George Washington University, he became the first member of his family to earn a degree. Pat did graduate work in economics at G.W. and at the University of Maryland. He was employed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, CA where he was one of the early practitioners of cost-benefit analysis. As an independent consultant he worked for the coal industry, the National Bureau of Standards, the Mitre Corporation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and others. For some years, Pat and his wife owned a 165-acre farm near Gettysburg, PA where they raised corn, wheat and hay--this while he was consulting in Washington. Early last winter, Pat was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent chemotherapy. He had a heart attack in March, recovered promptly and resumed many of his usual activities, including do-it-yourself repairs at home. On May 20, at his home in Northwest Washington, while working on a repair problem in the basement, he had a second heart attack. He was admitted to Sibley Hospital, where he died the next morning, even as his physician was checking on him. Pat is survived by a brother, Carl Donvito, his wife, Mary Louise Don Vito, three children, Marc, an electrical engineer, Carrie DeLone, a physician, and Paul, a filmmaker, and four grandchildren. The family has asked that contributions in memory of Pat be made to The Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick, 212 State Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1190. The church will notify Pat's family. Edward Cowan Pat Don Vito was President of the NEC the year after I was. I had the privilege of working with him on various NEC activities while we both served on the Board. Pat's dedication to the club, his new ideas and his good humor were terrific assets to the NEC. He worked hard to promote a successful run of embassy programs that helped expand the club's impact and offered the members an array of international insights. I'm sure he will be missed by everyone who had the opportunity to know him. I know I will miss the quick smile and friendly greeting I always got a club functions. The NEC has lost a valued friend. Kathryn Kobe

Pasqual A. Donvito

NEC Notice

IN MEMORIAM

Pasqual A. Don Vito

(1926-2001)

JULY / AUGUST 2001

The Club lost one of its most dedicated members with the death of Pat Don Vito on May 21 at Sibley Hospital in Washington. A retired consulting economist, he was 75 years old and had been an NEC member since 1985. He served the Club as Treasurer (1990), President (1995) and Chairman (1996) and was responsible for several innovations, most notably the adoption of a formal, annual budget.

As President, Pat initiated a series of evening NEC meetings at various embassies to which an embassy officer spoke about his country's economic policy. These talks were well attended, perhaps in part because they were followed by receptions that featured the cuisine of the host country. Pat personally did all the letter-writing and telephoning necessary to acquaint the embassies with the NEC and to make arrangements for the meetings.

"Every organization I've ever heard of has a budget except the National Economists Club," Pat said, with a little heat, upon assuming his duties as Treasurer in the spring of 1990. With a nod from me, then President, Pat set to drafting the NEC's first operating budget. There has been one every year since then. That same year, Pat also undertook to design and have made a teledisc with the Club's name on it (originally suggested by Jim kenworthy); it hung on the lectern at meetings so that when C-Span and other TV crews taped NEC speakers, viewers would be in no doubt whose meeting they were watching.

A quiet man with an unassuming manner, Pat was, as his son Paul put it, always convinced there was a better way to do things, an easier, simpler, more effective way." As NEC Treasurer, he chafed at the considerable cost of printing the monthly newsletter--and found a printer who would do the job cheaper. As President, he abolished a long-standing (and largely unenforced) policy that members who made a luncheon reservation and failed to show without canceling were obliged to pay anyway. He had believed for years that this penalty discouraged reservations and attendance.

A native of Harrisburg, PA, Pat was the son of Italian immigrants. He served in the Navy during World War II. In 1949, when he received a B.A. in economics from George Washington University, he became the first member of his family to earn a degree. Pat did graduate work in economics at G.W. and at the University of Maryland. He was employed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, CA where he was one of the early practitioners of cost-benefit analysis. As an independent consultant he worked for the coal industry, the National Bureau of Standards, the Mitre Corporation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and others. For some years, Pat and his wife owned a 165-acre farm near Gettysburg, PA where they raised corn, wheat and hay--this while he was consulting in Washington.

Early last winter, Pat was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and underwent chemotherapy. He had a heart attack in March, recovered promptly and resumed many of his usual activities, including do-it-yourself repairs at home. On May 20, at his home in Northwest Washington, while working on a repair problem in the basement, he had a second heart attack. He was admitted to Sibley Hospital, where he died the next morning, even as his physician was checking on him.

Pat is survived by a brother, Carl Donvito, his wife, Mary Louise Don Vito, three children, Marc, an electrical engineer, Carrie DeLone, a physician, and Paul, a filmmaker, and four grandchildren.

The family has asked that contributions in memory of Pat be made to The Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick, 212 State Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-1190. The church will notify Pat's family.

Edward Cowan

Pat Don Vito was President of the NEC the year after I was. I had the privilege of working with him on various NEC activities while we both served on the Board. Pat's dedication to the club, his new ideas and his good humor were terrific assets to the NEC. He worked hard to promote a successful run of embassy programs that helped expand the club's impact and offered the members an array of international insights. I'm sure he will be missed by everyone who had the opportunity to know him. I know I will miss the quick smile and friendly greeting I always got a club functions. The NEC has lost a valued friend.

Kathryn Kobe

Home | Links | Personal | Professional | Contact Info

mdonvito@rcn.com