Mr. Avella was instrumental in the development of Doyle & Roth, creating a pathway for its success that continues twenty-five years after his passing. John graduated with honors from Manhattan College in 1964, majoring in Chemical Engineering. He started working at Doyle & Roth shortly after where he was able to put his solid background in the fundamentals of engineering into practice. Through hard work and dedication, he was able to quickly climb his way up the ranks at the company, becoming Chief Engineer where he was responsible for many of the standards and practices still in use today. In 1991 he took the opportunity to purchase the company that he dedicated his entire professional career to, setting D&R on a new trajectory. With the investment in the latest technology and equipment available at the time and the acquisition of Eastern Tank, Doyle & Roth was set on a new trajectory. Through his guidance, our business was expanded to many major chemical companies and refineries both here in the US and globally. John’s sudden and unexpected passing in 1995 was devastating for the company. However, the legacy that he left behind through training, standards, ethics and strong focus on engineering and customer service has sustained Doyle & Roth to this day and will continue for the foreseeable future.
John had a very strong allegiance to this alma mater Manhattan College. This institution held a special place in his heart because he felt it was a major contributing factor to his success as both an engineer and businessman. He regularly gave back to the school in many ways because he wanted to make this opportunity available to as many people as possible. To continue his legacy, the John V. Avella Memorial Scholarship fund was established and made available to continuing students studying in the field of Chemical Engineering at Manhattan College that have a financial need. We lost John twenty-five years ago but his spirit and determination to make a difference in the life of these students and help them realize their dreams remains with us today. Go Jaspers!!
On a personal note, John was brilliant, often reading books in Latin for entertainment while sitting by the pool. He also knew how to love life and could frequently be found surrounded by his family, a large group of close friends at a weekend party, rink side cheering on the Rangers, traveling or enjoying the arts at the Met. John was truly a unique and special person who continues to hold a place in many of our hearts and memories and is dearly missed by all that had the privilege of knowing him.
