Remembering Dominic J. Parrone

February 20, 2009 - Parrone Engineering remembers the life and legacy of its founder, Dominic J. Parrone, P.E., P.L.S., who passed away on February 11, 2009.

Dominic was born on September 23, 1925, and raised on Waite Street in Rochester, New York. He graduated from the Aquinas Institute in 1943 and, as a young man, attended Villanova University. After completing his first year of school at Villanova, Dominic enlisted in the United States Navy and served his country while stationed in the South Pacific during World War II. Upon returning home from the war, Dominic married his life long partner, Mary. He then enrolled back in college utilizing the GI Bill and, in 1949, earned his Baccalaureate Degree in Engineering from Cornell University.

Dominic's career began with the Army Corps of Engineers, where he worked to construct the Mount Morris Dam in Letchworth State Park. Later in his career, he was employed by the New York State Department of Transportation and the City of Rochester. After receiving his Professional Engineering license and Professional Land Surveying license in 1954, he decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and opened his own firm, called Dominic J. Parrone & Associates, in 1955 in the kitchen of his home. His first clients were in land development and later grew to include commercial and industrial clients; the success of the business was largely due to his reputation of high professional standards, honesty, and building longtime relationships with his clients. In 1978, the firm became a professional corporation called D.J. Parrone & Associates, P.C. and was selected as the consulting engineer for the Town/Village of East Rochester in 1979; the firm still fulfills this role today. The firm has continued to grow since then by diversifying into other lines of business, such as higher education, health care, and senior housing related projects. It was in 2002 that the firm changed its name to Parrone Engineering. Dominic continued to provide his views of leadership and share in his values and beliefs until 2004; they have been the foundation of the company since its beginning and still remain strong in the firm today.

Dominic received numerous professional awards and accolades during his career, but nothing brought him more joy than spending time with his family, especially his beloved wife Mary. He was proud of his children and enjoyed watching them develop and start families of their own. Dominic also treasured his time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and loved to watch them grow and flourish in their lives. It is with Dominic's "rocksolid" spirit and passion that Dominic J. Parrone & Associates began and Parrone Engineering will carry on in the future.