Age 57, Wilmington, DE
Gus Santelli, Wilmington, DE, formerly of New York and Argentina, passed away on May 15, 2017. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Gus attended bilingual schools from kindergarten through high school. In 1973, at the age of 14, Gus and his family moved to Rye Brook, NY. At the Blind Brook High School, he was allowed to skip a grade due to academic excellence. He graduated with honors, and attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
Gus joined DuPont in 1981 at the plant site in Orange TX. There he had a variety of assignments in manufacturing technical, process control and automation. In 1986, he transferred to the Engineering Department at the Louviers site in Wilmington. There he held a variety of technical and management positions in engineering, information technology, and artificial intelligence. He was a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma where he enjoyed training and mentoring other professionals. He became an American citizen October 16, 1987. He later transferred to the Lycra® business where he managed supply chain optimization efforts. Through his DuPont career he was highly regarded by his colleagues and employees.
In 2002 Gus joined Lead Time Technology with some of his former DuPont colleagues. He served as Principal Consultant and Vice President of Business Development. He ran the business office and worked with many clients over the years. He eventually assumed the position of President and CEO in 2009. In this role, he led the company until 2016 when LTT eventually closed its doors. During his years with LTT, he not only brought sophisticated technology to his clients but also built deep personal relationships that lasted long past their engagement with LTT. He will be missed not only by the people he worked with at LTT, but also many of his clients.
Gus’s interests included cars, electronics, technology in all forms, music, especially classic rock, and cooking. He brought passion, character and non-conformity to every aspect of his life.
Gus was preceded in death by his mother, Maria Elena Santelli. He is survived by his father, Jorge, sister Laura Blaiotta (Louis) and niece Alex Blaiotta. He will be sorely missed by family, friends and colleagues from all phases of his life.
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