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'''Adolfo Orsi''' (1888 – 20 December 1972) was an Italian industrialist, known for owning the [[Maserati]] automobile maker.
Born within a poor family in San Lazzaro, near [[Modena]], Orsi lost his father in 1899 - an event that forced him to start working at a very young age. In the late 1920s he started his own business as [[scrap iron]], [[steel mill]] and [[farm equipment]] manufacturer, eventually employing hundreds of people from Modena and the surrounding area.<ref>[http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ferrari-biographies5.htm Adolfo Orsi and Ferrucio Lamborghini] from howstuffworks.com</ref> Orsi soon started pursuing interests outside of the company, including running the [[tram|trolley]] company of Moden, and being involved with the local soccer team, [[Modena F.C.]] in its successful early years.<ref>[http://www.oldracingcars.com/teamboss/Adolfo_Orsi Where are they now?] from oldracingcars.com</ref><ref>[http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Officine-Alfieri-Maserati-SpA-Company-History.html Officine Alfieri Maserati Spa history] from fundinguniverse.com</ref> With his brother, Marcello, he was also involved in a [[Fiat]] dealership, the ''Fiat A.M. Orsi'' (1935).<ref>[http://www.motorvalley.it/personaggi_dettaglio.asp?idpa=1549&idd=3&categoria=Automobilismo La Maserati prima, durante e dopo Adolfo Orsi] {{wayback|url=http://www.motorvalley.it/personaggi_dettaglio.asp?idpa=1549&idd=3&categoria=Automobilismo |date=20070930020638 }} from motorvalley.it</ref>
In 1937 Orsi bought the financially troubled [[Maserati]] company, employing his son, Omar Orsi, as managing director; three of the [[Maserati Brothers]] were retained on ten-year contracts on the engineering team (1937–47). In 1940 Orsi moved the Maserati headquarters from [[Bologna]] to Modena, near the premises of his steel plants and spark plug manufacturing company, ''Fonderie Riunite''.
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In 1954 Orsi made a lucrative deal with [[Juan Perón]] when the motor racing enthusiast president of [[Argentina]] placed a large order for machine tools to be imported in his country. However, following the [[Revolución Libertadora]] and the exile of Perón, receiving payments for the order turned out to be problematic. Orsi encountered similar issues with the Spanish government, and the ensuing financial problems resulted in Maserati entering administration.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,864296,00.html?promoid=googlep Maserati off the track] from ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' (April 14, 1958)</ref> The remnants of [[Maserati]] was handled by the creditor, [[Credito Italiano]].
Orsi remained active within the management of Maserati until 1968, when he decided to sell his remaining shares to Citroen, who at the time was a major stakeholder.<ref>[http://www.cartype.com/page.cfm?id=258&alph=All&dec=All cartype.com] {{wayback|url=http://www.cartype.com/page.cfm?id=258&alph=All&dec=All |date=20070927010754 }}</ref>
Omar orsi's son is Adolfo Orsi Jr. (born 1951) is still involved as consultant on the history of Maserati.
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