Michael Vitale Mallardi

MICHAEL PATRICK (Vitale) MALLARDI, age 90, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on February 1, 2025. He was born in East Harlem, NY, on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1934, to Michael C. and Gaetana (DeSalvo) Mallardi. Raised in Flushing, N.Y., Michael received a scholarship to a Catholic military academy, Cardinal Farley, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class. He then matriculated at the University of Notre Dame where he received a degree in philosophy, magna cum laude.

Michael joined the American Broadcasting Company in 1956. He left for positions at MGM, Radio Press International, and as VP and General Manager of The Straus Broadcasting Group, then returned to ABC as VP of Corporate Planning. Thereafter, he became President of ABC Record and Tape Sales Corp. and, then, ABC’s Chief Financial Officer. He also became one of three of ABC’s Executive Vice Presidents and was elected to its Board of Directors in October 1976.

Upon sale of ABC to Capital Cities, Inc. in 1986, Michael was appointed Senior Vice President and President of the Capital Cities/ABC Broadcast Group, the only senior corporate officer retained by the acquiring company. As such, he was responsible for the network-owned TV stations, all radio operations, and, for several years, its Video Enterprise activities and interests in ESPN, A&E, and Lifetime. He was also responsible for the network’s broadcast operations and engineering activities, during a transition period for Capital Cities senior executives. Michael retired from ABC in 1996.

Michael was a founding trustee of the J.P. Morgan Mutual Funds and was on the board of the EEX Corporation, an oil exploration company in Houston, Texas. He also served as pro bono chairman of the Bon Secour Health System. In addition, he served on the boards of the American Women’s Development Corporation (AWED), the Committee for Economic Development, Jr. Achievement of N.Y., International Radio and Television Society and Maximum Service Television (MSTV).

Michael became a spiritual writer of Catholic poetry in his eighties and has written over 600 poems. His work is published in the Pen in the Spirit trilogy. Many of the poems are reflective of his own personal journey and devotion to his faith.

Michael was beloved by his wife of 63 years, Sylvia, daughters Karen and Stephanie, son-in-law, James, and loving granddaughter, Natalie Joan, who has been Michael’s sunshine from the moment of her birth. Aside from his successful career, Michael enjoyed attending daily mass, reading, crossword puzzles, scrabble, Notre Dame football, Yankees baseball and traveling with his family, with Montauk being their favorite summer destination. Michael will be missed more than words can say, but the wisdom, generosity and love he has shared with his family and friends will remain in their hearts forever.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 from 3 PM – 7 PM at Van Emburgh-Sneider-Pernice Funeral Home, 109 Darlington Avenue, Ramsey, NJ. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 10:30 AM at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Ramsey. Entombment will follow at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Michael’s name to: Catholic Charities, 1011 First Avenue, New York, NY 10022, or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Please send tributes, memories and condolences to vanemburghsneider.com.

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