FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

MEDIA ADVISORY

EVENT:             NIAF RECEPTION FOR JUDGE LOUIS J. FREEH

SPONSOR:        The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)

WHEN:              Monday, May 20, 2002
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Reception

WHERE:            Hotel DuPont
DuBarry Room
Wilmington, DE

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is hosting its first council reception in Delaware to welcome the Honorable Louis J. Freeh, both to Delaware as a fellow Italian American and to the NIAF Board of Directors whereupon he was recently elected.

Judge Freeh presently serves as senior vice chairman for administration and legal affairs at MBNA America, Inc. in Delaware and has one of the most distinguished legal records in American History. He was the director of the FBI for eight years, having been appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993. Judge Freeh was previously a federal judge, named by President George H. W. Bush at 41 years of age. He also worked under Rudolph Giuliani, when Giuliani was United States Attorney for New York City.

Lt. Governor John Carney and Speaker Terry Spence have been invited to give the opening toasts, because of their work in strengthening trade and cultural relationships between Delaware and Italy. Prominent Italian American leaders from the Delaware area in business, government and the arts will also attend the reception.
NIAF board of director, Ciro Poppiti, will be the evening’s master of ceremonies. Poppiti, a native of Delaware, is an importer of fine wines and a media consultant.

The event serves as an opportunity for the NIAF to highlight the initiatives of the Foundation and to broaden its membership base.