Dino Rossi, Republican candidate in 2008 for Governor of Washington visits Talk 980 KUSA Studio - Nov 4th, 2008.
Dino Rossi is a third-generation Washingtonian. His paternal grandfather, Silvino Rossi, immigrated to America from Italy around the turn of the 20th Century. Speaking little English, he became a coal miner in Black Diamond, Washington. Silvino and his wife, Concetta, eventually moved to Seattle where Silvino worked for the City of Seattle building streets. They had seven children, one of whom was John Rossi �" Dino’s father. Dino attended Viewlands Elementary School �" the same school where his father taught �" and went on to Mountlake Terrace Junior High School and Woodway High School in Edmonds. When it came time to pursue higher education, Dino studied business at Seattle University. His parents couldn’t afford to help out financially, so he worked various jobs doing construction and janitorial service. He even waxed floors at the Space Needle. After graduating from Seattle University with a degree in business, Dino started his career in commercial real estate. By the time he was 25, he purchased his first apartment building. He later co-founded the Eastside Commercial Bank and built a successful career in commercial real estate. Dino also served as vice president of Scott Real Estate Investments in Seattle. He remains active in the commercial real estate business today. In 2006, Dino joined Jay Buhner in becoming part owners of the Everett Aqua Sox minor league baseball team. He also started the Forward Washington Foundation �" a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to issues affecting Washington, its citizens and its economy. Dino is currently on the Dean’s Advisory Board at the Seattle University School of Business and Economics. Dino and his wife Terry have been married for over 20 years. They currently live on the Sammamish Plateau and have four children: Juliauna, 17; Jake, 14; Joseph, 11; and Jillian, 7. |
