Guido P. Merlino (1903-1991) founded the Mission Macaroni Mfg. Company during the economically challenging times of the Great Depression in 1932. Originally from Taranta Peligna, Italy, Merlino immigrated to the United States in 1920 at age 17, settling near his brother in Fresno, California. He later joined his cousins in Seattle as an owner of Pacific Coast Macaroni Co., producing "Three Monks" pasta at a factory on Rainier Avenue South. By 1932, Merlino had sold his interests in Pacific Coast and founded Mission. Eventually Mission would take over Seattle Macaroni in 1939 and Pacific Coast Macaroni three years later. Mission Macaroni was sold to San Francisco-based Golden Grain Macaroni Co. in 1956.

This photo shows pasta maker Angelo Padovani cutting noodles and placing them on drying racks at the Mission Macaroni plant at 1102 8th Avenue South.

Caption information source: Guido Merlino obituary. Seattle Times, December 2, 1991. Retrieved at http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911202&slug=1320622
Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff.