The Upholstery World Mourns Textile Entrepreneur Elio Fumagalli, 63
January 3, 2006
COMO, Italy — Elio Fumagalli, the founder of Imatex passed away from complications due to a brain hemorrhage on the morning of December 30, 2005.
He was first stricken on October 19 while attending the High Point Furniture market in North Carolina. He was quickly flown by family members to a hospital in Gravedona (Como) where despite the best efforts of all concerned, he never recovered.
His funeral was celebrated in the Catholic Church near his residence in Sirtori, Italy on December 31.
Elio is survived by his wife, a daughter, his two brothers Luigi Fumagalli and Attilio Fumagalli and one grandchild.
Elio had been a regular attendee to the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C. market for the past 20 years even though it was the policy of Imatex not to sell directly to the furniture industry. "He was always studying trends in order to get a feel for the market," a colleague said.
Fumagalli was a principal of Imatex, one of the largest mills in Europe today, along with his two brothers. Even so, Elio was considered the driving force behind Imatex. Pietro Bertarini, 41 year old general manager of Imatex will continue to run the mill. He has been with the company 22 years while Marco Fumagalli, nephew to Elio is CFO. Marco Guggi continues as export manager.
"It's with great sadness we must announce that Elio Fumagalli has passed away," Guggi said. "Not only was he one of the greatest textile entrepreneurs in the world but more importantly, he was one of the most gentle, honest and fair persons you could ever meet. His sudden departure has left an enormous sense of emptiness and no words can really express the sorrow and pain we are all feeling."
Maria Kremer Garber, Imatex's U.S. agent who first met Elio in 1990 when she started working with Anju Woodridge had this to say: "Elio was always a true gentleman and years later when he asked me to be his agent, I felt it was a privilege not only to be representing a wonderful company, but that I would be working for someone whom I already knew and respected. His loss is immeasurable, but his philosophy, his spirit and his commitment to his company, is reflected and will be carried on through each and everyone that works for Imatex."
''Elio was my closest personal friend,'' said Ed Gargiulo, formerly a principal of Anju Woodridge in the USA, now retired. ''We considered each other as brothers and all of us who knew him are shocked by his death. He probably was the nicest person in our industry and not only was he a gentleman but he was a gentle man. My prayers are for him and his family and I will miss him for the rest of my life.''
Imatex is a regular exhibitor at Heimtextil, Proposte and Decosit.
He was first stricken on October 19 while attending the High Point Furniture market in North Carolina. He was quickly flown by family members to a hospital in Gravedona (Como) where despite the best efforts of all concerned, he never recovered.
His funeral was celebrated in the Catholic Church near his residence in Sirtori, Italy on December 31.
Elio is survived by his wife, a daughter, his two brothers Luigi Fumagalli and Attilio Fumagalli and one grandchild.
Elio had been a regular attendee to the International Home Furnishings Market in High Point, N.C. market for the past 20 years even though it was the policy of Imatex not to sell directly to the furniture industry. "He was always studying trends in order to get a feel for the market," a colleague said.
Fumagalli was a principal of Imatex, one of the largest mills in Europe today, along with his two brothers. Even so, Elio was considered the driving force behind Imatex. Pietro Bertarini, 41 year old general manager of Imatex will continue to run the mill. He has been with the company 22 years while Marco Fumagalli, nephew to Elio is CFO. Marco Guggi continues as export manager.
"It's with great sadness we must announce that Elio Fumagalli has passed away," Guggi said. "Not only was he one of the greatest textile entrepreneurs in the world but more importantly, he was one of the most gentle, honest and fair persons you could ever meet. His sudden departure has left an enormous sense of emptiness and no words can really express the sorrow and pain we are all feeling."
Maria Kremer Garber, Imatex's U.S. agent who first met Elio in 1990 when she started working with Anju Woodridge had this to say: "Elio was always a true gentleman and years later when he asked me to be his agent, I felt it was a privilege not only to be representing a wonderful company, but that I would be working for someone whom I already knew and respected. His loss is immeasurable, but his philosophy, his spirit and his commitment to his company, is reflected and will be carried on through each and everyone that works for Imatex."
''Elio was my closest personal friend,'' said Ed Gargiulo, formerly a principal of Anju Woodridge in the USA, now retired. ''We considered each other as brothers and all of us who knew him are shocked by his death. He probably was the nicest person in our industry and not only was he a gentleman but he was a gentle man. My prayers are for him and his family and I will miss him for the rest of my life.''
Imatex is a regular exhibitor at Heimtextil, Proposte and Decosit.
