Antonio Abbondio passed away
Antonio Fiorenzo Abbondio, Honorary President of the International Circle, passed away on 22 February 2011, aged only 72. The International Circle mourns for his long-standing President (1982 till 1994) and Honorary President.
There are only a few people who really merit the word ‘legendary’; Antonio Abbondio certainly is one of them. The wise, multilingual und charming Swiss will be unforgotten for all those who ever met him. Antonio, born in 1938, studied physics at ETH Zürich and earned his diploma degree there. After several positions in the graphic arts industry, he was appointed Director of the newly founded Swiss School of Engineering for Printing and Packaging, esig+, at Lausanne. He held this position for more than 25 years and made esig+ one of the most respected schools of its trade. He retired in 1998. esig+, Antionio’s life’s work, lives on in heig-vd and hes-so. From 1982 to 1994 Antonio was the third president of the International Circle, and it is only fair to say that this period was a heyday of the IC. Deeply internationally minded, Antonio extended and intensified the IC in every respect. A multitude of initiatives and special committees was started by Antonio. The IC acknowledged that by unanimously electing him as its Honorary President. For Antonio, retirment was no reason to rest. He remained to be one of the leading forces of the IC. The 50-years jubilee conference of the IC in 2007 at Lausanne also was a celebration in honour of Antonio Abbondio. Now Antonio died, far too early, peacefully at home. The International Circle joins his wife, Marlies, and a large family in mourning for an admirable colleague, brilliant in his field, and a great human.