Simeo (Sam) Gallo was born in Schenectady, New York. Following short employment at the General Electric Company in Schenectady, he entered the United States Air Force. At the time of his discharge, Staff Sergeant Gallo was an Instructional Supervisor at the North American F-86 school at Amarillo, Texas. He continued his education during and after military service.
Gallo went to work for the Glens Falls Insurance Company, Glen Falls, New York, with other assignments in Chicago, Dallas, and finally in Baton Rouge, Louisiana as the company’s state agent. In 1958, Gallo joined an insurance group where he rose to Chief Executive Officer of the mortgage loan subsidiary of the 1.3 billion dollar multi-state organization. He continued his career in 1969 as President of a public insurance holding company. Prior to retirement, Gallo was a marketing insurance executive for a national property and casualty insurance trust. In retirement, Gallo offers business guidance when asked without fee.
Gallo qualified and served as a Bankruptcy Trustee, U. S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of Louisiana, a rare duty for a non-legal person, specializing in Chapter 11 cases.
Sam Gallo became a widower in 2012 having been married (53+ years) to the former Shirley Claire Heine. Together they had three children. Sam now resides at St. James Place, Baton Rouge, a large continuing care retirement community. Shirley and Sam were, and Sam still is, members of St. Agnes Catholic Church, Baton Rouge. Sam attends the traditional Latin Mass.
Gallo has volunteered many years as a member of Kiwanis International. In 1969, he served as President of the then 75 year old Baton Rouge Kiwanis Club. Later he was Lieutenant Governor of the District, and President and Trustee of the Kiwanis Foundation of Baton Rouge, Inc.
Sam Gallo is Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Gallo World Family Foundation, an I.R.S. 501(c)(3) foundation dedicated to the global promotion and protection of the Gallo surname, and its heritage and culture.
Active in the health field, Gallo served as National Chairman of the Board/1987, of the American Diabetes Association, Alexandria, Virginia. He is the Founder of the National Diabetes Alliance, Diabetes America, and the Louisiana Diabetes Foundation. He is also a Past President, Greater Baton Rouge Diabetes Association; Past Chairman and Past President of the American Diabetes Association, Louisiana Affiliate, Inc. Gallo served four years as a member of the National Diabetes Advisory Board, a federal board which advises Congress on matters concerning Diabetes Melitus. He is the 1987 recipient of the Dr. Charles H. Best Award for Distinguished Service given by the American Diabetes Association.
Other affiliations are: Past-President and Trustee, Baton Rouge Serra Club; Past-President, Sales & Marketing Executives of Baton Rouge; Past-President, Southern Coffee Association; Past-President, Acadiana Ramblers RV Club; Past-President, Holiday Clickers; Past-Secretary and Director, Society of Real Estate Appraisers, Past-Baton Rouge; Secretary and Director, Louisiana Mortgage Bankers Association; Past-Ball Captain, Krewe of Tucumcari, a Louisiana Mardi Gras organization.
Sam Gallo is the founding Chairman of the Conservative Party USA, a national political party of which he is now Chairman Emeritus and Executive Director.
Gallo is a holder of U. S. Patent #4,078,356 also registered in ten foreign countries. This patent involves a method of substituting an inert gas for oxygen in coffee “singles” packages at speeds of 450 units per minute.