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Canzeri, Joe, 1930-2004

Biography"Joseph Wood Canzeri was born in Schuylerville, New York on May 16, 1930. He grew up in Saratoga, New York. He managed various restaurant and resort properties in New York, such as the White Face Inn in Lake Placid, New York and the Otesaga Inn in Cooperstown. Nelson Rockefeller, who regularly attended conferences at the Otesaga Inn, met Canzeri shortly after becoming governor of New York in 1959. When Rockefeller ran for re-election in 1962, he gave Canzeri a job arranging his campaign travel. Canzeri continued as Rockefeller’s assistant after the Governor won re-election. He went on to manage the Rockefeller estate in Pocantico Hills, New York, and serve under Rockefeller during the latter’s term as Vice President from 1974 to 1977. After Rockefeller’s death in 1979, Canzeri moved to Los Angeles to work for the Rockefeller family development company. Canzeri’s duties as an assistant to Governor Rockefeller had been similar to Michael Deaver’s duties as a longtime assistant to Ronald Reagan. Deaver became acquainted with Canzeri while Reagan and Rockefeller were both governors. When Reagan ran for President in 1980, Deaver invited Canzeri to join the campaign as manager of the campaign airplane. After leaving his White House post, Canzeri founded Canzeri Company, a consulting and public relations firm with offices in New York and Washington. In 1988 Canzeri was a campaign adviser to Republican vice presidential nominee Dan Quayle. He also assisted in the organization of the 1989 inaugural activities for President George H. W. Bush".--authorities.loc.gov