FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

(WASHINGTON, D.C. — MARCH 16, 2012) Five notable Italian Americans in the fields of business, government, finance, transportation, law and public affairs have been elected to the National Italian American Foundation’s (NIAF) Board of Directors during a March 16, 2012, meeting at the Wigwam Golf Resort & Spa in Litchfield Park, Ariz.

NIAF’s newly elected members of the Board of Directors are Hon. Capri S. Cafaro, minority leader of the Ohio Senate; Enrico Gaglioti, managing director at The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.; Frank Giordano, president of Atlantic Trailer Leasing Corp.; Joseph D. Lonardo, a partner in the Washington office of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP; and Mark Valente III, president of Valente & Associates.

“The NIAF Board of Directors is proud to appoint such outstanding leaders in their fields to further strengthen the expertise of our board. We welcome their leadership, business acumen and dedication to the community,” said NIAF Chairman Jerry Colangelo.

Current members re-elected to NIAF’s board are Gabriel A. Battista, former executive chairman of Talk America; Robert E. Carlucci, founder of R& R Ventures; Joseph M. Della Ratta, CEO of Della Ratta Inc.; Hon. Mike Ferguson, chairman and CEO of Ferguson Strategies LLC; Kenneth G. Langone, co-founder of Home Depot and president of Invemed Associates LLC; Hon. Anita Bevacqua McBride, executive in residence at American University and former chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush; Gen. Peter Pace, U.S. Marine Corps General (Ret.); Dr. John P. Rosa, renowned chiropractor and community organizer; Julian L. Rizzuto, international markets analyst for the Conair Corporation; John F. Scarpa, co-founder of American Cellular Network Corporation; and Michael A. Zampardi, managing director of Virtu Management LLC.

The NIAF Board of Directors includes some of the most prominent executives in the United States, including Maria Bartiromo, Emmy Award-winning journalist;; John F. Calvelli, executive vice president for the Public Affairs Division of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Linda R. Carlozzi, Esq., a partner of the New York City office of Jackson Lewis LLP; Joseph V. Del Raso, Esq., partner with Pepper Hamilton LLP; Giuliana DePandi-Rancic, anchor and managing editor of E! News; Joseph M. DePinto, president and CEO of 7-Eleven Inc.; William (Bill) C. Freda, vice chairman and senior partner of Deloitte LLP; Louis J. Freeh, former FBI director; Hon. Patricia de Stacy Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting; and Gerard S. LaRocca, CEO of Barclays Capital Inc. and the New York branch manager of Barclays Bank PLC.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the heritage and culture of Americans of Italian descent. Visit www.niaf.org