FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

** Saks Fifth Avenue’s Christina Johnson & Home Depot’s Robert Nardelli to Receive NIAF Special Achievement Awards in Business **

(WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 24, 2002) Christina Johnson, president & CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue, and Robert Nardelli, chairman, president and CEO of The Home Depot, will receive the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Special Achievement Awards in Business at the Foundation’s 27th Anniversary Awards Gala, Saturday evening, October 26 at the Hilton Washington & Towers, Washington, DC.

Actor, director and producer, Robert De Niro, and actress, Sophia Loren, will be inducted into the NIAF’s Italian American Hall of Fame for their work in the entertainment industry. Earlier this year, actor Nicolas Cage was the first Italian American inducted into the Foundation’s Hall of Fame for his work in the cinema at the NIAF West Coast Gala in Beverly Hills, CA.

Paul Chiapparone, vice chairman of Electronic Data Systems (EDS), will receive the NIAF Special Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service. Thomas (Tommy) D. Mottola, chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Inc. will receive the NIAF Special Achievement Award in the Music Industry.

Many celebrities will be attending the dinner including singers Tony Bennett, Connie Francis and actors Danny Aiello, Ruth Buzzi, Robert Davi, Doris Roberts and James Woods. Bruce Arena, US World soccer coach, Yogi Berra, Yankee 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.

The NIAF Gala is one of the premier annual events in Washington, DC, attracting more than 3,100 people from throughout the country and abroad. Members of the Italian American Congressional Delegation, and Italian American leaders in business, sports, entertainment and the arts traditionally attend the event which has also been attended by every U.S. President since 1975.

Dick Grasso, New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) chairman and NIAF vice chairman, is this year’s dinner chair. During the Gala Awards weekend, the NIAF will also feature conferences, exhibits, the traditional celebrity luncheon and auction, and a seminar on tourism. At a Friday conference, attendees will view a piece of American history when the Declaration of Independence Road Trip makes a stop at the NIAF’s annual convention. The Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, this year’s sponsoring region from Italy, will host a wine and food tasting event.

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