John Ingoglia

John Robert Ingoglia, co-founder and president of Socotra Capital, died unexpectedly July 12, just weeks before his 44th birthday. Born in Sacramento on July 25, 1976, John was the youngest son of Patricia and the late Donald Ingoglia. He graduated from Jesuit High School and Boston College Carroll School of Management. After college he worked for Prudential Securities as a financial advisor in New York. He returned to Sacramento in 2004, beginning his career in commercial real estate with MacLaughlin and Co. in West Sacramento, doing leasing and investments. In 2008, John and his partner Adham Sbeih, founded Socotra Capital with its first office in a salami distribution warehouse in West Sacramento. John, who jokingly called himself "Hard Money John," described it as an iconic hard money start-up faced with uncertainties in the worst real estate collapse since the Great Depression. He played a critical role in enlisting capital investors to fund loans for the new company's borrowers, developed the company's sales and marketing strategies, and managed their implementation. His efforts led to a vibrant commercial and residential lending business while adhering to the highest professional standards. A master of negotiation, John refused to be satisfied with second-best performance and his energy pushed the company in a perpetual drive to improve, according to Socotra team members. Growing up in a lively household as the youngest of five boys, John tackled life with high energy, enthusiasm, a great sense of humor and a huge grin. He worked out regularly, and loved mixed martial arts, scuba diving, trips to Hawaii, board games, and golfing with friends. But both work and play were dwarfed by his love of family. His wife, Shirley Liu, and their children Antonio, 8; twins, Coco Rose, and Santino, 22 months old; Presley,16, and Georgia, 19, brought immense joy to John. An exuberant hands-on father, he was involved in every aspect of his children's lives, such as taking Mandarin and surfing lessons with young Tony. The highlight of his day was returning home after work, swooping up the twins and dancing around the room singing their favorite songs. It was a daily ritual. The importance of family influenced John, beginning with a close relationship with his grandfather, Tony Ingoglia Sr. founder of Tony's Fine Foods. "I wanted to be like my grandfather, a force of nature," he wrote in a recent on-line article. Like Tony Sr., he developed a strong and lasting work ethic beginning at the age of 9 with a paper route and included everything from mowing lawns, washing cars, working as a janitor at Sutter Lawn to driving taxi cabs in his 20s. With a big personality and an even bigger heart, John maintained friendships that started in childhood while ever increasing his circle of pals all over the world and from all walks of life. While his life was cut short, he lived it to the fullest with selflessness and compassion for both friends and his large extended family. In addition to his mother, Patricia (Pat), John is survived by his brothers, Dan (Nora) Ingoglia, Peter Ingoglia and Thomas Ingoglia. He was preceded in death by his brother, Philip Ingoglia and nephew Isidoro. Survivors also include his in-laws, Borden and Linda Liu of Sacramento, Amy Liu Miller (Barry), Borden Liu,Jr (Serena), Eugene Marshall (Evelyn) and many relatives. An online video celebrating John's life can be found at weloveyoujohningoglia.com Funeral services will be private. A Celebration of Life is planned in the near future. The family requests that remembrances be sent to the Friends of the Crisis Nurseries, care of Sacramento Children's Home, 2750 Sutterville Road, Sacramento, CA 95820 or to your favorite charity.