FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

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

(Washington, DC – October 2, 2003) Joseph Galli Jr, chief executive officer of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., will receive the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Year 2003 Special Achievement Award in Business at the Foundation’s 28th Anniversary Awards Gala, Saturday evening, October 25 at the Hilton Washington & Towers, Washington, D.C. The gala begins with a 6 PM reception followed by dinner at 7 PM.

The NIAF Gala is one of the premier annual events in Washington, DC, attracting a capacity 3,000 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.

Roberto Benigni, academy award-winning actor, will receive the NIAF 2003 Special Achievement Award in Entertainment. Joining Benigni and Galli as this year’s NIAF honorees are: Larry W. Sonsini, chairman and CEO of the law firm of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati PC; and Thomas Tizzio, senior vice chairman of American International Group (AIG). Sonsini will receive the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Commerce and Law and Tizzio will receive the Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service.

Joining the NIAF gala honorees this year are singer Tony Bennett, sports legend Yogi Berra, and director Dino De Laurentiis, along with actors Tom Dreesen, Doris Roberts and Antonio Sabato, Jr.

Galli joined Newell Rubbermaid in January 2001, and, as part of his turnaround of this company, immediately instilled a business strategy and operating culture centered around new product development, consumer-focused marketing and productivity improvement. Newell Rubbermaid today enjoys sales of more than $7 billion and is a marketing and new products leader with a strong focus on its 24 Power Brands, including Rubbermaid® storage and organization products; Calphalon® cookware and cutlery; Sharpie® writing instruments; and Irwin® hand tools and power tool accessories. Previously he served as president and CEO of VerticalNet Inc., an internet business to business company; president and COO of Amazon.com; and president of Black & Decker U.S. Power Tools Group, where he is credited with developing and launching the highly successful DeWalt line of power tools and accessories. A native of Pittsburgh, Galli received an MBA from Loyola College in Baltimore and a business degree from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill.

Dinner tickets begin at $350 per person based on table location. Attire: Black tie. Proceeds from the event will benefit the NIAF scholarship and education programs. For tickets or sponsor information, contact Michael Sanzi at 202/939-3105 or michael@niaf.org or register on-line now!