Salvatore Ferrara II

Class of 2002

Born February 28, 1951, Sal graduated from Chicago’s Fenwick High School and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing and management from Loyola University. He has three children.

Sal is a 35-year veteran of the candy industry, working in various capacities at Ferrara Pan Candy Co. From 1973 to 1986 he was a general partner at the company and was named president and COO in 1986, the position he held at the time of his induction.

According to Sal, his most memorable moment in the industry occurred when he, his father and his son sat at their desks together in the same office. “Side by side by side – we had three generations together, three desks, one office.”

Sal credits his success to a philosophy that he learned from his father, Candy Hall of Famer Nello Ferrara: “By contributing to the growth of the industry as a whole, I would grow individually and as a company.” He also acknowledges his father as the biggest influence on his career, stating: “If I can accomplish one-half of what he has, I will feel more than successful.”

During his career, Sal has received many awards, including the 1990 NCBA Golden Candy Dish, 1990 NCWA Dean, Chicago Blackhawk Gunzo Award and was named Business Person of the Year in 1999 by the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce. He is active in the NCA, having served as its chairman.

Sal passed away October 27, 2014.

Watch Sal’s invocation at the 2014 Candy Hall of Fame.