FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

(WASHINGTON, DC- June 8, 2004) Familiar faces from Miami’s media outlets gathered at Miami’s power dining spot, Caffe Abbracci in Coral Gables, Fla., to network with their colleagues over Italian delicacies and specialty wines delivered especially for the occasion from Italy’s Region of Abruzzo. The media networking reception was sponsored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF).

Michele Gillen, chief investigative reporter, WFOR-TV, opened the evening and greeted her colleagues including: Jacquee Gaillard Petchel, investigations editor and Jason Grotto, investigative reporter at The Miami Herald; John-Thor Dahlburg, bureau chief, Los Angeles Times; Mike Di Pasquale, sports anchor, WSVN FOX 7; Charles Perez, news anchor, FOX News/WSVN; Steve Malagodi and Tracy Fields of WLRN radio; Paola Iuspa-Abbot, Daily Business Review, Cesar Conde, executive vice president, Univision Networks; and Francesca Porpiglia, publisher of Gente D’Italia.

Italy’s Consul General to the United States in Miami, Gianfranco Colognato, welcomed the journalists along with a 10-member delegation visiting from the Region of Abruzzo headed by its regional president, Giuseppe Tagliente, and five mayors from the Region, regional cabinet members, and a representative to the European Community.

Italian American and Hispanic journalists, Italophiles and other prominent individuals from South Florida’s international community were invited to the Foundation’s second media networking event by Arthur J. Furia, NIAF regional vice president in the Southeast and law partner at Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart. Furia welcomed the delegation from Abruzzo, expressing his own pride in being of Abruzzese ancestry from the Province of Chieti, and presented to Tagliente U.S. presidential cufflinks depicting the White House. In Furia’s remarks, he noted that Tagliente himself is a journalist by background following a long tradition of world famous journalists and authors of Abruzzese heritage, including Ovidius, Gabrielle D’Annunzio, John Fante and popular Italian Americans, including world-champion prize fighter Rocky Marciano, and entertainers Dean Martin and Penny Marshall.

Tagliente thanked NIAF and its leadership for highlighting the contributions of Italians of Abruzzese heritage and concluded that further educational, cultural and scientific exchanges can be enhanced between the U.S. and the Region utilizing the special friendship the Region has with NIAF. The evening concluded with a performance by visiting Abruzzese musician, Mario Stefano Pietrodarchi, named world champion accordionist in 2001 playing the “pianoforte.”

NIAF sponsored the reception to highlight the Foundation’s youth, scholarship and grant programs and events to the South Florida community. Miami resident, Vaughn Edelson, NIAF scholarship recipient and second-year student at Brown University in Rhode Island, expressed her thanks to the Foundation for her scholarship. Nino Pernetti, owner of Caffe Abbracci, underwrote the reception and Italian designer, Moschino, donated its latest fragrance, Moschino Couture!, for the gift bags.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and dedicated to preserving the heritage of Italian Americans. Learn more about our youth programs by visiting www.niaf.org

(left-right) Jacquee Gaillard Petchel, investigations editor, The Miami Herald; Michele Gillen, chief investigative reporter, WFOR-TV; and Jason Grotto, investigations reporter, The Miami Herald share a friendly moment at the NIAF’s second annual media networking event at Caffe Abbracci in Coral Gables on June 3, 2004.