FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Elissa Ruffino, 202-939-3106, elissa@niaf.org

(WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 10, 2015)  Four notable Italian Americans in the fields of finance, law, professional sports marketing and public policy have been elected to the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Board of Directors for the 2015-2019 term during an April 9, 2015, meeting at the New York offices at Pepper Hamilton LLP.           

NIAF’s newly elected members of the Board of Directors are Nicholas R. Caiazzo, a partner in the New York office of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP; George Simeone, senior group partner-in-charge of the Greater Tri-State audit practice of Deloitte; Charles Turano, executive vice president of the National Hockey League franchise Florida Panthers and director of Heritage Werks; and Michael J. Zarrelli, managing counsel and federal affairs manager for Amway in Washington, D.C.

“We at NIAF are proud to add these four outstanding Italian Americans to our Board of Directors.  Leadership like these men exhibit in their respective fields serves to further strengthen the expertise of our distinguished board. We welcome their character, business acumen and dedication to the Italian American community,” said NIAF President and COO John M. Viola.

Current members re-elected to NIAF’s board are Maria Bartiromo, global markets editor at FOX Business Network; Joseph DePinto, president and CEO of 7-Eleven Inc.; Dr. Antonio Giordano, president and founder of the Sbarro Health Research Organization at Temple University; and Frank Giordano, president and CEO of The Philly POPS and Atlantic Trailer Leasing Corporation.

The NIAF Board of Directors and its Board Officers includes some of the most prominent business executives in the United States, including Hon. Anita Bevacqua McBride, executive in residence at American University School of Public Affairs and former chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush; John F. Calvelli, executive vice president for the Public Affairs Division of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Linda R. Carlozzi, a partner in the New York Office of Jackson Lewis PC; Joseph V. Del Raso, Esq., partner with Pepper Hamilton LLP; Hon. Louis J. Freeh, former FBI director; Marie L. Garibaldi, a former Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court; Hon. Patricia de Stacy Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting; Gerard S. LaRocca,  chief administrative officer of the Americas at Barclays Capital; Gen. Peter Pace, U.S. Marine Corps General (Ret.); and John F. Scarpa, co-founder of American Cellular Network Corporation.

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.