Sons of Italy Foundation Announces 2011 Honorees

The Sons of Italy Foundation has announced that at its 23rd Annual National Education & Leadership Awards Gala, to be held on May 25, 2011 National Building Museum, Washington, D.C., the following individulas will be honored: Carmen Policy Founder & Proprietor, Casa Piena Vineyard Former President and CEO, San Francisco 49ers who will receive the National Education & Leadership Award; Steven Nardizzi, Esq. Executive Director, Wounded Warrior Project, who will receive the Special Award for Courage & Patriotism; and, Finmeccanica S.p.A. Receiving the Award for Excellence in Global Business. Italian singer, Giada Valenti will perform. The Master of Ceremonies will be Award-winning Actor Joe Mantegna.

NIAF 35th Anniversary Gala Honorees

10|11|25 -On October 23, 2010 the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) honored at its 35th Anniversary Gala, the following individuals: Fulvio Conti, CEO of ENEL S.p.A. received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in International Business; Tom Izzo, Head Coach, Men's Basketball, Michigan State University, received the NIAF Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports; Aurelio De Laurentiis, Italian Film Maker and Producer, received the NIAF United States-Italy Friendship Award; Christopher J. Nassetta, President & CEO of Hilton Worldwide, received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Business; Dr. Thomas M. Scalea, Physician-in-Chief at the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Science & Medicine; Joe Uva, President and CEO of Univision Communications, Inc. received the NIAF One America Award.

The Emcee for the NAF Gala was Giuliana DePandi Rancic, anchor and managing editor of E! News and star of the Style Network show "Giuliana & Bill."

Sons of Italy Foundation 2010 Honorees

10|04|05 - The Sons of Italy Foundation 22nd Annual National Education & Leadership Awards Gala, held on May 26, 2010, at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washingotn, D.C., honored former President Bill Clinton, founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation . Lewis Merletti, Senior Vice President, Cleveland Browns & Former Director, United States Secret Service received the National Education & Leadership Award. Capt. Anthony K. Odierno, (U.S. Army, Ret.) Board Director, Wounded Warrior Project received the Special Award for Courage & Patriotism. Music legend Quincy Jones and General Raymond T. Odierno made a special appearance. Italy's President Georgio Napolitano attended the dinner. The Master of Ceremonies was Joe Mantegna.

(Pictured above, General Raymond Odierno - Photo Isgro)

Mario Andretti, Joe Bruno Honored in Washington, DC

10|01|17 - Washington, D.C., entrepreneur and philanthropist, Joseph Bruno, and racing legend Mario Andretti were honored by the Lido Civic Club of Washington D.C. at the group’s annual Past Presidents’ Night Gala held at Piazza Italia in the Italian Embassy on January 16, 2010. About 500 people attended the event, including the who's who of the Italian American community in Washington. Read more . . .>>

(Pictured above, Mario Andretti, Joseph Bruno )

NIAF Announces 2009 Honorees

The National Italian American Foundation has announced the honorees for its 34th Anniversary Convention and Gala to be held at the Hilton Washington on October 23-24, 2009. This year's honorees are:

• Carla Gugino, actress in the HBO series, “Entourage” will receive a NIAF SpecialAchievement Award in Entertainment
  
  
• Massimo F. d’Amore, CEO of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, will receive a NIAF Special Achievement Award in Business.
  
  
• Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, culinary pioneer and restaurant pioneer, will receive a NIAF Special Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service.
  
  
• Janet Napolitano, U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, will receive a NIAF Special Achievement Award for Public Service.
  
  
• Antonello Venditti, renowned Italian singer and songwriter, will receive a NIAF Special Achievement Award in Music.

Jimmy Kimmel, host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” will emcee the Foundation’s annual black-tie Anniversary Gala before the expected 3,000 guests from the United States and Italy.

The 34th Anniversary Awards Gala and Annual Convention will be held on October 23-24, 2009, at the Hilton Washington. For additional information visit www.niaf.org.

Highlights of the NIAF weekend include “Antonello Venditti Live!” an exclusive performance by Venditti, on Friday, October 23 in the hotel’s International Ballroom. Watch Venditti's 1991 video "Alta Marea".

(Pictured above, Carla Gugino)

Sons of Italy Elects 2009-2011 National Officers

The Order Sons of Italy, meeting in San Diego on August 9-15, elected its new National Officers. Joseph J. DiTrapani from New York was elected the National President and Anthony J. Baratta from Illinois was elected the National 1st Vice-Presidents. The other four elected vice-presidents are: Kevin A. Caira (MA), Daniel J. Longo (MD), Anthony F.M. Spaziani (OH), and Vera Girolami (CA). Read more...>

Sons of Italy Announces 2009 Honorees

The Sons of Italy Foundation 21st Annual National Education & Leadership Awards Gala, will be honoring Mary Ann Esposito, Host and Creator of Public Television’s Ciao Italia; Hon. Arthur J. Gajarsa, Judge, U.S. Federal Court of Appeals; Robert A. Scardelletti, International President, Transportation - Communications Union - International Association of Machinists. The Gala will be held on May 28, 2009.

(Pictured at left, Hon. Arthur Gajarsa)

Lido Civic Club Past Presidents' Night Gala
General Peter Pace Among Honorees

On January 24, 2009, the Lido Civic Club of Washington, D.C., honored Retired Gen. Peter Pace, 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Tangherlini, City Administrator and Deputy Mayor of Washington, D.C., and Paul Magliocchetti, President and Chairman of the PMA Group at its Annual Past Presidents' Night. General Pace received the Special Achievement Award for Public Service, Deputy Mayor Tangherlini was honored ar the Man of the Year, and Magliocchetti received the Special Achievement Award in Business in absentia.

The Lido Civic Club is one of the oldest Italian American association in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Founded in 1929. Pictures from the event are available at http://celebpix.instaproofs.com

(Pictured above General Peter Pace, Tom Stallone. Picture courtesy of Bill Guptill)

NIAF Announces 2008 Honorees

The National Italian American Foundation has announced this year’s gala honorees. They include:
• Mark T. Bertolini, president of Aetna
• Joseph DePinto, president and CEO of 7-Eleven, Inc.
• Gina Lollobrigida, legendary actress
• Wayne Pacelle, CEO of The Humane Society of the United States
• Gianmario Tondato da Ruos, CEO of Autogrill S.p.A.

The 33rd Anniversary Awards Gala and Annual Convention will be held on October 17-18, 2008, at the Hilton Washington & Towers in Washington, D.C. For additional information visit www.niaf.org.

(Pictured above, Gina Lollobrigida)

ISSNAF First National Conference
February 4, 2008

Una Fondazione per i ricercatori italiani negli Usa: primo convegno a Washington della ISSNAF Sono circa 10 mila i ricercatori o i professori  italiani che lavorano nelle università americane. Una comunità di tutto rispetto sia per dimensione che per ruoli.

Oggi nasce la ISSNAF (Italian Scientist and Scholars in North America) una Fondazione che mira a riunire l'insieme della comunità scientifica italiana per offrire strumenti ed occasioni agli studenti e professori che dal nostro Paese vogliono sfruttare le mille opportunità che il mercato del sapere americano offre.

Nell'ormai celebre Piazza Italia, la luminosissima Agorà dell'Ambasciata italiana a Washington, sotto l'egida dell'ambasciatore Giovanni Castellaneta, si tiene il primo workshop di discussione della Fondazione che già ha raccolto l'adesione di centinaia e centinaia di  scienziati italiani, fra i quali premi Nobel come Renato Dulbecco, e prestigiose figure delle principali università statunitensi come il fisico Coppi del MIT, l'economista Alesina di Harvard, Giorgio Bellettini dell'Università di Chicago, Emilio Bizzi di Cambridge, Peccei dell'UCLA di California, Pierluigi Zappacosta fondatore della Logitech.

Al centro del primo confronto modi e contenuti di una rappresentanza della comunità scientifica italiana e la possibilità di mettere a disposizione del nostro paese le esperienze di decine di anni accumulate nel lavoro al vertice delle istituzioni culturali americane. (RAI International) (photos Isgro)

Justice Alito Honored by Lido Club

Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., received the Lido Civic Club Public Achievement Award in Public Service at the group’s 78th Anniversary Gala held on January 19, 2008. Second-generation Italian American Robert E. Carlucci, a prominent Maryland businessman was also honored at the Gala as the recipient of the Man of the Year award.. In his remarks, Justice Alito recalled the challenges faced by his Italian-born grandparents, one of whom came from Calabria, when they immigrated to the United States. Justice Alito, who went on to graduate from Princeton University in 1972 and from Yale Law School three years later, concluded his remarks by stating: “We remember where we came from, no matter how prominent Italian Americans have become. We remember the stories. We remember people who founded the Lido Club. We remember the people who came before us, the people on whose shoulders we stand.” (Voce Italiana - Feb. 2008)