Mediacom Communications founder, CEO, and chairman Rocco Commisso has passed away at the age of 76.

His death was announced on Friday (January 16) by the company and the Italian football club, ACF Fiorentina, which he took ownership of in 2019.

Commisso passed away on January 16 following a "prolonged period of medical treatment."

Although Commisso has become synonymous with Serie A giants ACF Fiorentina in more recent years, it was his ventures in the telecoms industry that paved the way for his success.

He founded Mediacom in 1995, with the company initially acquiring cable systems in underserved, smaller American communities.

He took Mediacom public in 2000, overseeing the company's emergence as the fifth largest cable television provider in the US, while offering data, video, phone, and mobile services to more than three million households and businesses in 22 states.

Commisso then took the company private in 2011, with Mediacom now wholly owned by the Commisso family.

Prior to setting up Mediacom, Commisso held roles at Chase Manhattan Bank (now JP Morgan Chase) and Royal Bank of Canada that involved the media and communications sectors. It wasn't until the mid-1980s that Commisso entered the cable industry as an exec at Cablevision Industries.

Other industry names paid tribute to Commisso, including Charter Communications CEO Chris Winfrey.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Rocco Commisso, whose leadership and vision helped shape our industry,” said Winfrey. “Rocco’s entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation inspired many, including those of us at Charter, and his influence will be felt for years to come. We extend our sympathy to his family, Mediacom employees, and all who were impacted by his remarkable career.”

CableLabs president and CEO Phil McKinney also paid his respects to Commisso.

"Rocco was the first CEO I spent time with after joining CableLabs and the cable industry. At a moment when I was new to the role, and we were embarking on a significant transformation, he gave me something invaluable: his time. He didn’t have to. But that was Rocco," said McKinney.

Commisso also served on the board of several companies, including the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, C-SPAN, CableLabs, Cyndx LLC, and the National Italian American Foundation.

Beyond his acquisition of ACF Fiorentina, in 2017, Commisso also purchased a majority ownership stake in the New York Cosmos and became the club’s chairman. He sold the majority stake last year to North Jersey Pro Soccer, although the Commisso still holds a minority stake in the club.

His funeral will take place this Wednesday (January 21) at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York at 10:00 am ET.

DCD sends its sympathies to the friends, family, and colleagues of Rocco Commisso.