L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano NIAF 40th anniversar y: awarding Italian professionals under 40 T h e N a t i o n a l I t a l i a n A m e r i c a n F o u n d a t i o n c e l e b r a t e d i t s 4 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y w i t h a s p e c i a l Awards Gala in Washington DC on October 17. A mix of great music performances, special food, unique guests to honour the Italian American heritage month. NIAF Board member and Emmy Award-winning Fox N e w s A n c h o r a n d G l o b a l M a r k e t s E d i t o r , M a r i a Bartiromo, and NIAF President, John M. Viola, co-hosted the g a l a , w h e r e a s I l V o l o b a n d , Piero Barone, Ignazio Boscetto, and Gianluca Ginoble, opened t h e n i g h t w i t h t h e p o p u l a r I t a l i a n M o d u g n o ' s s o n g " V o l a r e " b e f o r e t h e c l o s i n g p e r f o r m a n c e o f " G r a n d e A m o r e , " t h e s o n g t h a t w o n S a n r e m o M u s i c F e s t i v a l i n 2015. The Gala Dinner had more than 1,700 guests, excited to watch the video introduced by P a t r i c i a d e S t a c y H a r r i s o n , NIAF vice chair, and president and CEO of the Corporation of P u b l i c B r o a d c a s t i n g , highlighting what it means to be an Italian American in the past and nowadays. "The only reason I am here tonight is because of my father, he taught me the importance of heritage," said 12-time MLB A l l - S t a r M i k e P i a z z a a n d encouraged other guests to be c o m m i t t e d o n p a s s i n g t h e Italian heritage and culture on to t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n s . S a m e m e s s a g e c o m i n g f r o m a c t o r C h a z z P a l m i n t e r i , w h o underlined the great role the Foundation took in representing l e a d e r s h i p i n t h e I t a l i a n American community. Another valuable moment of the night w a s w h e n t h e F o u n d a t i o n ' s Special Achievement Award in Business and Health was given to Richard E. Caruso, Ph.D., founder and director of Integra LifeSciences, a world leader in m e d i c a l t e c h n o l o g y . A n o u t s t a n d i n g p r o j e c t i n a n important field, as stressed by Caruso himself: "It has been my l i f e l o n g g o a l t o m a k e a difference in people's lives, and I'm grateful that I've had an opportunity to do so". A similar story has been shared by Steve Perillo, President and owner of Perillo Tours, America's largest travel company, who received the NIAF Achievement Award in Business, for keeping the l o n g t i m e a p p r e n t i c e t o h i s f a t h e r , t h e l e g e n d a r y M a r i o Perillo, "Mr. Italy.", in the 71st year anniversary of their family- owned company launch. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of F i a t C h r y s l e r A u t o m o b i l e s , r e c e i v e d t h e N I A F S p e c i a l A c h i e v e m e n t A w a r d i n International Business and came to the stage sharing his family Italian values: "Our sense of place stays with you where you g o . M y f a t h e r t a u g h t m e integrity, civil engagement and sense of duty. My mother taught THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015 www.italoamericano.org 4 SERENA PERFETTO me strong will and sensitivity". A deep message came also from Amato L. Berardi, founder of Berardi & Associates Inc., a n d f o r m e r m e m b e r o f t h e Italian Parliament: he spoke a b o u t t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e s u p p o r t a n d t h e l o v e h e received from his family as the b e s t m e d i c i n e a f t e r a r e c e n t a c c i d e n t . M a r i o J . G a b e l l i , founder, chairman of GAMCO I n v e s t o r s I n c . , a N e w Y o r k S t o c k E x c h a n g e l i s t e d company, dedicated his honor to his father and explained the importance of the scholarships NIAF awards to young people a n d g i v i n g b a c k t h a t o p p o r t u n i t y f o r o t h e r s t o a c h i e v e . A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t s h o u t o u t w a s m a d e b y J o s e p h i n e J . ( G a r g i u l o ) Templeton, M.D., trustee of the John Templeton Foundation: "I am a legal immigrant, blessed to be born in Italy and adopted by t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , " N I A F a w a r d e d T e m p l e t o n w i t h t h e F o u n d a t i o n ' s S p e c i a l A c h i e v e m e n t A w a r d i n Philanthropy. F i n a l l y , g u e s t s h a d t h e opportunity to share a moment of true italianità thanks to Carlo R o t u n n o w h o s a n g " I n n o d i M a m e l i , " I t a l y ' s n a t i o n a l anthem, while songwriter Giada Valenti sang the U.S. national anthem. T h e G a l a w a s a l s o a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o c e l e b r a t e t o p young professionals who have emerged in different fields, from arts to music, from sports to technology, from culinary arts t o f a s h i o n , f r o m f i n a n c e t o films. NIAF's Co-Chair of the E d u c a t i o n a n d G r a n t s Committee and a member of the Foundation's Board of Directors A n i t a B e v a c q u a M c B r i d e welcomed forty professionals under 40. Among those, not just s u c c e s s f u l p e o p l e w h o a r e t a k i n g t r a d i t i o n a l r o u t e s t o l e a d e r s h i p , b u t a l s o a l l t h o s e w h o a r e f o l l o w i n g alternative paths, all sharing t h r e e t h i n g s : b e i n g y o u n g ; having Italian roots; and making a difference. Very well known names as Samantha Cristoforetti, the first f e m a l e I t a l i a n a s t r o n a u t i n s p a c e ; p r o f e s s i o n a l b a s e b a l l player Marco Belinelli, 29; Fiat c h a i r m a n , J o h n E l k a n n , 3 9 , were listed together some less p o p u l a r b u t a s m u c h a s s u c c e s s f u l I t a l i a n A m e r i c a n talents like Matteo Achilli, 23, w h o h a s b e e n n o m i n a t e d b y P a n o r a m a E c o n o m y " T h e Italian Zuckerberg" in 2012; Nicola Benedetti, 27, who is a t a l e n t e d v i o l i n i s t w h o i s captivating the world of music; Serena Zanello, 37, a young Italian entrepreneur who runs h e r a r c h i t e c t u r e a n d d e s i g n business. Serena flew from San Francisco to attend the Gala and told us her impressions about being selected among the 40 b e s t - u n d e r 4 0 - I t a l i a n s i n A m e r i c a : " A f t e r r e a d i n g t h e invitation a couple of times, I r e a l i z e d w i t h s u r p r i s e a n d e x c i t e m e n t t h a t I w o n a p r e t t y i m p o r t a n t a w a r d with celebrities like Lady Gaga, Samantha Cristoforetti, Chris Evans" she said - "We all have the same heritage, we all love Italy and we are all proud and h o n o r e d o f t h i s a w a r d . Everyone pursues a passion and i s s u c c e e d i n g i n t h e i r o w n country, either or both "Italy" and "US". At the end of the two days celebration, NIAF announced that 41st anniversary will be honoured next year on October 14-16 in Washington. NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Pat Harrison, President and CEO of Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and Vice Chair of NIAF giving her welcome speech Joe Piscopo performing during the Gala - Photo Credit: Andy DelGiudice Italian architect Serena Zanello with her business-partner at NIAF Gala Credits Reflections Photography

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