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Audi of America executive Mark Del Rosso To be Honored at One of largest Galas in Washington, D.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org


**Italian Chocolate Manufacturer Giovanni Ferrero Joins as Business Honoree**

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 26, 2012) Mark Del Rosso, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, of Audi of America, will be honored at the National Italian American Foundation’s (NIAF) 37th Anniversary Awards Gala in Washington, D.C. Del Rosso will receive the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Business on October 13, 2012, at the Washington Hilton. The black-tie event begins with a 6 p.m. reception followed by dinner and an awards ceremony.

Del Rosso will be joined by business executive Giovanni Ferrero, Chief Executive Officer of the Ferrero Group, one of the largest confectionary groups in the world, who will receive the NIAF Special Achievement Award in International Business.

Other honorees joining Del Rosso include Geno Auriemma, Head Coach of the Gold Medal-winning USA Basketball Women’s National Team and Head Women’s Basketball Coach at the University of Connecticut; Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President and CEO of the Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG); Letizia Moratti, President of Friends of San Patrignano; and Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, the oldest science academy in the world.

Del Rosso, an automotive sales executive and marketing leader with more than 15 years of experience, assumed the duties of COO at Audi of America Inc. in 2008. In that role, Del Rosso directs sales operations, vehicle distribution, market strategy and planning, corporate sales, and Certified PreOwned (CPO) operations. Under his leadership, the Audi brand has achieved unparalleled levels in sales volume and market share. Previously Del Rosso worked at Toyota where he was general manager of the company’s Portland, Ore., region. He joined Toyota in 1991 and was promoted to marketing and field positions within Toyota and Lexus divisions.

A New Jersey native, Del Rosso is a graduate of the University of Southern California with a degree in business. He currently resides in Northern Virginia. He is also an auto enthusiast who owns a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT and enjoys driving it regularly.

The NIAF gala is one of the premier annual events in the nation’s capital, attracting more than 2,000 guests from the United States and Italy. Tickets to Saturday’s gala begin at $400 per person. Proceeds benefit NIAF’s educational programs. For tickets or sponsor information, contact Jerry Jones at 202/939-3102 or jerry@niaf.org, or register online at www.niaf.org/gala.

About the National Italian American Foundation
The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the heritage and culture of Americans of Italian descent. www.niaf.org
About Audi of America
The Audi Group, comprising the two brands Audi and Lamborghini, is one of the world’s leading carmakers in the premium and supercar segment. The core of the Company comprises the Audi brand, whose vehicles delight customers with their outstanding modern design, technological innovations and high build quality. The ambition to fulfill challenging customer expectations with pioneering vehicle concepts is manifested in the brand essence “Vorsprung durch Technik,” which encompasses the brand values sportiness, sophistication and progressiveness.