FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org

MEDIA ADVISORY

EVENT:        NIAF 27th Anniversary Gala Awards Dinner

SPONSOR:       The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)

WHEN:         Saturday, October 26, 2002
6:00 P.M. reception, 7:00 P.M. dinner

WHERE:      The Hilton Washington & Towers
1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC
(202/483-3000202/483-3000)

Outstanding Italian Americans in business, the arts, and entertainment will be honored October 26 at the National Italian American Foundation’s (NIAF) 27th Anniversary Awards Gala.

The Year 2002 NIAF Honorees are:

• Paul Chiapparone, vice chairman of Electronic Data Systems (EDS), will receive the NIAF’s Special Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service
• Robert De Niro, actor, director, and producer, will be inducted into the NIAF’s Italian American Hall of Fame
• Christina Johnson, president & CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue, will receive the NIAF’s Special Achievement Award in Business
• Sophia Loren, actress, will be inducted into the NIAF’s Italian American Hall of Fame
• Thomas (Tommy) D. Mottola, chairman & CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Inc., will receive the NIAF’s Special Achievement Award in the Music Industry
• Robert Nardelli, chairman, president and CEO of The Home Depot, will receive the NIAF’s Special Achievement Award in Business

Among the many celebrities attending the dinner are singers Tony Bennett and Connie Francis, actors Danny Aiello, Ruth Buzzi, Robert Davi, Tom Dreesen, Jerry Lewis, Antonio Sabato Jr. and James Woods. Bruce Arena, US World soccer coach, Yogi Berra, baseball legend, Brian Boitano, Olympic gold medalist, Joe Gibbs, NASCAR team owner, and Tommy Lasorda, Dodger icon, will also join the celebrities and NIAF honorees at the dinner.

CNBC Anchor Ron Insana is this year’s master of ceremonies. Dick Grasso, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) chairman and NIAF vice chairman, is this year’s dinner chairman. Traditionally, the event has been attended by every U.S. President since 1975.

The NIAF 27th Anniversary Awards Dinner caps the Foundation’s two-day convention (October 25 & 26) which includes:

• Conferences on “Contributions of Italians to the Founding of America,” with an exhibit of an original copy of the Declaration of Independence; “The New Italian Renaissance: Art, Gastronomy and Beauty;“”Children of the Greats,” with discussions of some of the most famous Italian Americans of the past and “A New Perspective on Retaining Your Heritage” with guest speaker Hon. Antonin Scalia, U.S. Supreme Court Justice.
• The Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, this year’s sponsoring region from Italy, will host a series of food, wine and coffee tasting events.

Dinner tickets begin at $350 each. Proceeds from the event benefit the NIAF Scholarship and Education Programs. For tickets or sponsor information, contact: Michael Sanzi at 202/387-0600202/387-0600 or michael@niaf.org or register on- line at www.niaf.org