Ernest J. Del Monte was the son of a painting contractor. He grew up in a home with eight siblings, and thus learned early in life that hard work, creativity, bold decisions and teamwork would bring success.

Mr. Del Monte served as a pilot in World War II, and parlayed his military experience to fill an unmet need: building generators for aircraft missiles. That led to the creation of E.J. Del Monte Corporation in 1953, first working out of his basement, and then from a factory on Linden Avenue in East Rochester. His company developed the generator for the sidewinder missile used on F-102 fighter jets. It was this spirit of innovation and creativity that resulted in his owning dozens of patents for a variety of inventions.

Over time, his interest transitioned into real estate and hotel development. As he built warehouses and business offices, he pioneered the use of modular units in the construction of hotels. This approach, for which he received more than 20 patents has since been used to build hotels around the world.

In 1972, Mr. Del Monte established a relationship with the Marriott Corporation, and today the company he formed owns and operates 17 Marriott hotels in New York State, including the Del Monte Lodge in Pittsford and the Marriott in Greece. The E.J. Del Monte Corporation continues to be recognized by Marriott International with its prestigious Partnership Circle Award. The award honors companies who share a mutual long-term commitment, fully embrace Marriott’s brand initiatives, and focus on employees and customer service.

Mr. Del Monte was a strong believer in giving back to the community in which he and his family lived. He served many community-based charitable organizations with his generosity and his board service, including the University of Rochester and the URMC Neuromedicine Institute which bears his name, St. John Fisher College, The Harley School, and Rochester Institute of Technology.