L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano Joe Lemma: Namesake to an Original Entrepreneur B o c c e C o m p e t i t i o n D r a w s P l a y e r s t o Cedar ville Park Lemma, who is the embodiment of his ancestor. Like his great- grandfather, Joe thrives on chal- lenge and opportunity. "I never got to meet Joe Sr.," Joe says. "But I have a photo and we have the same hair, same fea- tures. He had 30-40 things going on at once and that's how I am." Born in Stockton, California, Joe used sports to channel his energy. Football became his passion; he played at Oregon State University while earning his degree in communications. One day at a local print shop, Joe met a "gorgeous young woman" named Toni Adair. They mar- ried in 2009. Back in California, the couple s ettled in Wes tlake V illage, where Joe worked as an athletic director at an addiction treatment center before taking a year off to play arena football in Boise, Idaho. All along, Joe felt drawn to Portland. "I just always felt that I was meant to come here. This was where it all started for the Lemma family." A fter the young family moved to Portland in 2011, his first opportunity came at Pacific Office Automation. Joe has a natural ability to engage people and it wasn't long before he was promoted to account manager. "Then one day, one of my sales reps comes in with a busi- ness card and asks me if I know Steven Lemma," Joe remembers. "Steven is my cousin. We only saw each other once growing up and now suddenly, here he is starting a new company." The company, S ecurus Contact Systems, opened in 2012 w hen S teven partnered w ith Mike Robirds and Kris Drebin to offer a better alternative to auto- mated call service. When the company's grow th took off, Steven asked Joe to come in as Vice President of Sales. It was a natural fit. "We sell virtual reception and admin services," Joe explains. "Businesses are always looking for ways to be more cost effi- cient. By leaning on this techno- logy to connect their clients to their business, they can save the overhead of hiring someone to answer phones all day." Securus' 24/7 customer servi- ce is tailored to each company – dedicated agents answer each call using personalized company information. O ther options include call routing and transfer, audio message recording, sche- duling, order processing – essen- tially all the administrative ser- vices needed to run a business. Owners monitor their services through Securus' online web portal. "Currently, we have about 1,400 clients. Our core markets are law offices and professional services. These businesses get hammered with calls so we can act as a filter." Joe's goal is to add another 1,000 clients in the next eight months. "We are definitely growth minded." J oe has his eyes open for other opportunities, especially in real estate. He half laughs as he says, "I would like to a mogul." He also envisions reopening the Lido Res taurant, an early Portland staple for decades foun- ded by his other great-grand- father A.C. Cecchini. Joe's father still has all the original recipes. Balancing work and family life can be a challenge to someo- ne who is so highly goal-orien- ted, but Joe knows how impor- tant it is to build family relation- ships. He is proud of his Italian heritage and family traditions. He is leaving his own Lemma legacy to his sons. "It is important to know where you came from and why you do the things you do," he says. "Let's know our story, our reputation and let's protect that and carry it on. Let's know what everyone went through so that we can be doing what we do." It's pretty safe to say that Joe Sr. would be proud. For three days, July 10, 11 and 12, Cedarville Park in Gresham, Oregon hosted their annual three-day bocce tourna- ment. Three days - three different tournaments. Originally, the 3- day event began as the "Aldo Rossi Cup" and only eight teams from Washington and Oregon competed. Competition is fierce at these tournaments. A few years ago, Pat Henry of Seattle and Larry Cereghino from the Paesano Club in Gresham added a "friendly" rivalry between states, calling it "The Northwest Shootout." Sometime later, a few players from California heard about the Rossi Cup and began competing. This led to California being invited to the Shootout. The first competition of the weekend is the Il Sacco Tournament. Fourteen teams from three different states partici- pated in this event. Captains from Oregon, Washington and California put together teams who played in a round robin for- mat. The top four places took home cash awards. This type of tournament has gained popularity in recent years because teams are balanced and everyone has an equal chance to win. It's a relaxing way to get to know one another. Day two of the weekend fea- tured the Shootout (aka the Northwest vs. California). Played in a Ryder Cup type format, 32 players from Oregon and Washington competed against 32 players from California in sin- gles, doubles and teams of four. Each win was awarded one point. California once again came out on top, narrowly edging out the Northwest team 29 to 27. The 11th annual Aldo Rossi Cup Bocce Tournament took center stage on day three. Eight teams from California, seven from Oregon, and five from Washington participated in this year's tournament. Individual teams competed for prize money and bragging rights for the next year. This year's winner took home $500.00. At the end of the 3-day weekend, everyone was tired but happy. Organizers are already planning for next year. When G ius eppe "J oe" Lemma, Sr. came to America in 1900, he saw a landscape full of possibilities. He was a visionary, a born entrepreneur with bound- less energy. He arrived with lit- tle money and no formal educa- tion but believed that through hard w ork, he could make anything happen. Originally from Bari, Joe Sr. s ettled in Linnton w here he w orked on the railroad. Restlessness set in and he began to lo ok around tow n for an opportunity to build his own business. He took out a loan, opened a shoe repair and leather glove shop that featured the first gaslights in town. N ever idle for long, J oe owned several businesses during his lifetime in addition to the shoe repair shop. He built the Linnton Department Store, got into the grocery business and operated a silent movie theater. Later, he owned a drug store, pharmacy and ice cream parlor. He also founded Joseph Lemma & S ons Beer and Wine Distributors, becoming one of the firs t bonded w ineries in Oregon after prohibition ended. To say that Joe Sr. had a tre- mendous work ethic and a gritty determination w ou ld be an understatement. He had an inna- te ability to s ee an unfilled opportunity within the commu- nity and build a business around it. That ethic became the Lemma family legacy. Fast-forward a couple genera- tions to Joe Sr.'s great-grandson and namesake, Joseph Anthony KERRY-LYNNE DEMARINIS BROWN LARRY CEREGHINO 2nd Place winners of the Aldo Rossi Cup were teammates Wayne Pompei, Mario Pompei, Don Filippi and Butch Mason Giuseppe "Joe" Lemma came to Portland from Bari with no money or formal education but built a lasting legacy for his family As Vice President of Sales at Securus Contact Systems, Joe Lemma enjoys the fast pace and rapid growth of the company's virtual administrative services

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