Michael Allan Pellico

1946 - 2022

January 17, 1946 - March 19, 2022 Michael Alan Pellico (Mikey) beloved son of Michael & Helen Pellico passed away at the age of 75 on March 19th 2022.

Michael is survived by 10 siblings Ilona, Paul, Monica, Stephen, Susan, Donald, Julie, Bill, Pamela, and Jeffery. Michael was born in Oak Lawn, IL but spent the majority of his life in Santa Monica. While in Santa Monica, Michael and his brother Stephen founded a successful Healthcare Product Company Laclede, Inc. At Laclede, Michael put his passion for Chemistry into his most successful product Biotene, an unrivaled oral care product line. Working tirelessly, with a limited budget, Michael would travel to Dental and Healthcare tradeshows across the country introducing Doctors and Healthcare professionals to the benefits of and science behind Biotene.

This hard work paid off and Biotene sales grew. Soon, Michael and Stephen were leading a team of dedicated employees, both at the factory and at tradeshows. Michael's Biotene and his company grew even more. Laclede would move a few times from its original Gardena CA location to its current location in Rancho Dominguez, CA. Biotene itself would grow to become the Healthcare world's most recognized Dry Mouth products and would become its category leader.

In the mid-2000s the Biotene line was sold and Michael began to develop and promote a new feminine care product called Luvena. Luvena is based around the same science that Michael perfected with the Biotene line. More recently Michael returned to the world of oral care with Salivea Dry Mouth products and working with many of the same dedicated employees, Michael was growing those products just as he'd done with Biotene before his untimely passing.

Over the many years at Laclede, Michael developed close relations with many of his employees, many of whom have been with Laclede since its earliest days. Michael's leadership, personality, and energy created a workplace that so many of his employees fell in love with. Michael was often more of a big brother than a boss, taking time to engage with workers, learn their interests and always having an ear open for their concerns and worries. Everyone at Laclede, Inc. will miss him greatly, but will always remember him as a passionate and driven leader who treated his workers like family.

Away from work, Michael loved the outdoors and participated in many outdoor activities. Michael enjoyed skiing, paddleboarding, volleyball, hiking, camping, swimming, and exploring. Michael put the most passion into his family. Michael was an avid traveler, both domestically and internationally. He loved spending time with family He was a devoted sibling and Uncle who cared tremendously for his family. A private celebration of his life was held at Laclede with family and staff.