DISCOVER OUR FOUNDER

DICK MARCONI

Dick Marconi has a passion for many things in life. 

When he first moved to California from Gary, Indiana, in the late 50's, he arrived with a wife, an 18 month old son, and $500 to his name. He is passionate about health and fitness and went on to become the world's largest manufacturer of custom made vitamins, food supplements and weight loss products. He wanted to help make people healthier and educate them on the value of nutritional supplements in their daily lives.

Dick is passionate as a collector. Over the years he has amassed a collection of over 75 cars. They range from American muscle cars to high performance streetcars such as Lamborghini's, Porsche's, and many Ferrari's. His collection also documents years of open wheel racing history, including Keke Rosberg's pink Formula Atlantic series winner, Mario Andretti's '94 Phoenix Oval Indy winner, and a late model F1 car driven by Michael Schumacher in his first year with Ferrari. Dick built this collection to the tune of $30 million. And then he donated it to the Marconi Foundation for Kids…because he has a passion for helping children. 
 
In 1994 Dick purchased the museum building located in Tustin, California. It was a former salad oil manufacturing facility that had gone out of business. He took it all apart, put it back together, moved his car collection in and opened the Marconi Automotive Museum and Foundation for Kids.

In the meantime, between running a 100,000 square foot vitamin manufacturing facility and starting a non-profit car museum, he also occupied his time by participating in very competitive car racing circuits. Marconi Racing was well known in the vintage racing circles and won many a battle in the Formula Ford, Formula Atlantic, and Formula 5000 divisions. In 1994, Dick joined the SCCA and raced professionally in the Long Beach Grand Prix in a black Formula Atlantic car sponsored by Herbalife. At 57, he was the oldest driver to ever qualify for a Long Beach Race. He started in 18th place and finished in 8th. It was a shining moment for Dick and Marconi Racing. 

To this day, Dick can be seen walking people around the Marconi Automotive Museum car collection, taking pictures with guests and giving insightful information about this very unique place.  He will challenge you to think about and incorporate into your own life the Marconi phillosophy, passed down from his father: Learn, Earn and Return.
 

 

 

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