Leonard J. Panaggio of
Newport was one of Rhode
Islands all-time leaders in the
promotion of tourism to the
Ocean State. Few, if any, before
or since, have done as much to
promote Rhode Island, and
especially Newport, as a tourist
destination. Len worked so
diligently in the tourism field not
only because of his love for the
history of Rhode Island, as
expressed in his writings, but
because he recognized tourism
as an industry that could
promote the Rhode Island
economy. His influence in that
industry earned him nationwide
attention and respect from the
time he became Rhode Islands
first tourism director in 1952
until his retirement three
(1919-2012)
decades later in 1983. During
that period he was named State
Tourism Director of the Year in
1974 by the Travel Industry
Association of America.
Len was born in his beloved
Newport on February 26,1919,
the son of Italian immigrant
parents. After graduation from
Rogers High School in 1938, he
served in the U.S. Army Air
Corps in North Africa where he
met his wife and lifetime partner,
Monique, in Casablanca,
Morocco.
After the war, Len returned
to Newport and briery edited a
weekly local newspaper. He was
admitted to Brown University,
but instead chose a position as
director of public relations at Old
Sturbridge Village where he
could both finance and promote
his passion for history. Len
returned to Rhode Island in 1952
to become chief of the states
Tourist Promotion Division
where his dynamism, dedication,
and energy made Rhode Island a
major tourist destination. He was
Rhode Islands premier “rooster
booster,” often providing hands-
on work for such events as the
Newport Jazz Festival, several
Americas Cup competitions, the
Atlantic Tuna Tournament at
Galilee, the Tall Ships visits, the
Newport International Sailboat
Show, and the Bicentennial of
American Independence.
After his retirement Len
wrote a widely-read and
respected column called the
“Grist Mill” for the Newport
Daily News in which he
disseminated his vast knowledge
of local history. Len was active in
numerous heritage-oriented
organizations including The
Preservation Society of Newport
County, where Monique served
as public relations director, the
Redwood Library, the Newport
Public Library, and the Rhode
Island Heritage Hall of Fame on
which he is a director emeritus.
Len and his wife had two
children, Leonard and
Madeleine, both residents of
Aquidneck Island. He died on
February 1, 2012 a few weeks
prior to his 93 rd birthday.