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NIAF Board Officers
| Chairman, Dr. A Kenneth Ciongoli |
| Vice Chair, Joseph R. Cerrell |
| Vice Chair, Jerry Colangelo |
| Vice Chair, Vincent Viola |
| President, Salvatore Zizza |
| Executive V.P., Joseph V. Del Raso |
| Treasurer, Salvatore Salibello |
| Secretary, Nancy Chistolini |
| General Counsel, Louis J. Freeh |
| National Executive Director, James R. De Santis |
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Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli
Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli
Chairman
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Dr. Ciongoli was past President and Vice Chairman of the National Italian American Foundation and presently NIAF's Chairman. During his tenure at NIAF, Dr. Ciongoli launched a number of initiatives including the Gay Talese Writers Series for prominent Italian American authors at the University of Pennsylvania. He also led delegations of business leaders on missions to Italy and Argentina to foster greater tourism and trade initiatives between the U.S. and abroad.
He was the author of 35 published articles and abstracts, medical and non-medical as well as three books; "Beyond the Godfather," "Let Me In," "Passage to Liberty." He appeared on several TV shows including McLaughlin 's One on One and The Dennis Wholly Show.
Dr. Ciongoli was a board certified neurologist and served as President of the Neurological Associates of Vermont and Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine (UVM).
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he was a graduate of St. Joseph's Prep and The University of Pennsylvania (Penn). After graduating from medical school in Philadelphia (PCOM '68), he completed a general internship in Detroit, Michigan, followed by a year of internal medicine at UVM. Subsequently, he was the first Neurology Resident at UVM to be awarded the title of Chief Resident (1973).
Subspecialty interests and training:
- Neurophalmology (Harvard University Medical School)
- Neuropathology (AFIP - Walter Reed Hospital)
- Neuroimmunology (Komune Hospitalet - Copenhagen, Denmark)
- Neuroimmunology (Penn-College of Medicine, GRM '74)
Dr. Ciongoli was the first non-Danish citizen to be awarded a Danish government fellowship. He was also awarded a NIB fellowship. He was appointed Physician Commissioner of the State of Vermont by three different Governors. Dr. Ciongoli was also appointed Senior Medical Officer of the United States Olympic Team in 1980 (Lake Placid, New York). He is listed in Who's Who in American Medicine, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World.
Dr. Ciongoli was the founding member of the Vermont Italian Colonial Association (VICA), a member of The Mutuo Soccorso, The oldest Italian American organization in Vermont and a past member of the Board of Governors of the Ethan Allen Club, the oldest continuous club in North America.
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Joseph R. Cerrell
Joseph R. Cerrell
Vice Chair
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A prominent public affairs, public relations and political consultant, Joe Cerrell has worked professionally in politics for almost five decades. In 1966, Joe founded and currently serves as chairman and CEO of Cerrell Associates Inc. Based in Los Angeles, it is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected government affairs, public relations and campaign management firms. It is the 50th largest independent public relations company in the nation and the sixth largest firm in Southern California, according to "O'Dwyer's 2007 Directory of Public Relations Firms”.
Active in the Italian-American community, Joe is vice chairman and immediate past president of the National Italian-American Foundation (NIAF); was appointed to the California Italian American Task Force by former California Governor Pete Wilson; and is chairman of the board for the Italy America Chamber of Commerce West (IACCW). Joe holds the “Commendatore al Merito Della Republica Italiana” (Knight Commander) decoration from the Republic of Italy. He is a member of the Federated Italo-Americans of Southern California; Sons of Italy (Hollywood Lodge); UNICO; and the Italian Cultural Society. He is also the Regional Vice President for the American Society of the Italian Legions of Merit. In 2002, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Joe Cerrell was honored in 2006 by the San Gennaro Foundation and was inducted into the Italian Lawyers Hall of Fame.
Throughout his career, Joe has played key roles in the presidential campaigns of John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Hubert H. Humphrey, Lloyd Bentsen, John Glenn and Al Gore. On his own, or as part of the firm, he has managed a wide variety of local and state campaigns, and pioneered the field of judicial campaign management. He is chairman emeritus and past president of the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) and past president of the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC). Joe also served as a member of the White House Business and Public Affairs Advisory Committee by appointment of President Jimmy Carter.
He serves on the board of directors for the Los Angeles World Affairs Council and the California Council for Environmental and Economic Balance (CCEEB). Joe is also past chairman of the Hollywood Wilshire YMCA; past vice president of the Public Relations Society of America, Los Angeles chapter; and member of the Board of Visitors of the Graziadio School of Business Management, Pepperdine University. Joe served as president of the California Museum of Science and Industry and as a member of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission when it hosted the 1984 Olympic Games.
Joe has been honored with many awards during his professional career, including the Small Family Owned Business of the Year Award given by the Los Angeles Business Journal and the PRSA PRism Award for Outstanding PR Professional. In 2004, American University’s Campaign Management Institute awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Contribution to Campaign Consulting and was one of a select few elected to their ‘Hall of Fame.’ In 2007, Cerrell was honored by the Metropolitan News as their Man of the Year. He was also inducted into the prestigious and exclusive American Association of Political Consultants Hall of Fame. Joe is the 11th person to receive this distinction and honor. In 2008 Joe was honored by the Los Angeles Central City Association as one of their “Treasures of Los Angeles” at their 14th annual gala.
A graduate of the University of Southern California, he served for 15 years as an adjunct professor with USC's prestigious Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, which he co-founded. He is a past member of the Board of Governors of the USC Alumni Association. Currently, he is a Distinguished Visiting Professor in Political Science at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He also lectures and conducts seminars and political forums across the nation.
The New York City native is married (Lee) with three children and seven grandchildren.
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Jerry Colangelo
Jerry Colangelo
Vice Chair
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Throughout his storied career as a sports executive, Jerry Colangelo has succeeded with a unique combination of know-how, both on the basketball court and on the business side of the operation.
Colangelo, who has been the face of the Phoenix Suns franchise since their inaugural season in 1968, sold the franchise for a record $401 million in June, 2007 and retains the title of chairman for five years.
Colangelo's impact on the sports scene in Phoenix and the game of basketball has been so great he was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in April 2004 and enshrined on Sept. 10, 2004 in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball. Locally, the Arizona Republic named him the Most Influential Sports Figure in the state of Arizona for the 20th century and the Phoenix Business Journal voted him the top businessperson in the Valley for the last five years. Nationally, Colangelo has been among The Sporting News most powerful people in sports for over the last decade.
Since first moving to the Valley of the Sun in 1968 to take over the expansion Phoenix NBA franchise as the youngest general manager in professional sports, Colangelo has molded the Phoenix Suns into one of the most successful organizations -- on and off the court -- in the NBA. In addition, he brought Major League Baseball to the Valley in 1998 and serves as Chairman of the 2001 World Champion Arizona Diamondbacks.
Currently the Chairman of the NBA's Board of Governors, Colangelo has had influence on the growth of the NBA as a member of the league's Finance Committee, Long Range Planning Committee, Expansion Committee and Competition and Rules Committee. "Jerry Colangelo has been involved in every aspect of our business and is universally accepted as the principal basketball expert among our Board of Governors," NBA Commissioner David Stern said.
With the Suns, his roles have included general manager, head coach, president and now chairman and chief executive officer. The 36-year tenure with one franchise is the second longest in the NBA, behind only Boston's Red Auerbach, who has been an NBA fixture since the league's inception in 1946. Phoenix owns the seventh-best all-time winning percentage with a 1582-1338 (.542) mark. Colangelo has collected an unprecedented four NBA Executive of the Year awards (1993, '89, '81, '76). During that period the Suns enjoyed seven consecutive 50-plus win seasons from 1988 to 1995, including a franchise-best 62 wins in 1992-93 and a trip to the 1993 NBA Finals.
When a group targeted Major League Baseball as a possibility for the Valley, Colangelo was asked to become the lead player in securing a team for Phoenix. As with the NBA, Colangelo was involved with the governing of baseball, serving on the Legislative Committee, Equal Opportunity Committee and on the board of directors of the MLB Advanced Media, the technology arm of the league.
The Arizona Diamondbacks began play in 1998 and captured the 2001 World Series in a historic seven-game series against the three-time defending champion New York Yankees. Going from expansion team to World Champion in just four years was a record for Major League Baseball. Arizona won the National League West in just its second season to become the fastest expansion team in baseball history to qualify for the postseason.
Colangelo's commitment to the Valley transcends sports and he is well-known as one of the city's most active community leaders. In recognition of his efforts in the community, Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon recently proclaimed March 26, 2004, Jerry Colangelo Day in the city of Phoenix.
He is currently chairman of the board of the Council of Leadership Education and Collaboration for a New Century, Southwest Leadership Foundation, National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and Leadership Foundations of America, trustee of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, national board member of National Italian American Foundation and Young Life International, vice president of the Phoenix Downtown Partnership, chairman and CEO of Phoenix Community Alliance and was a leader in the establishment of Employers Against Domestic Violence.
Colangelo has served on the board of directors of the Phoenix Art Museum, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, Athletes in Action and Phoenix Suns Charities. He is a lifetime member of the Phoenix Thunderbirds, an organization dedicated to the promotion of Phoenix through sports. As campaign chair for United Way in 1994, Colangelo raised the standard for community fundraising when he secured pledges for $25 million.
The author of a book titled How You Play the Game, Colangelo gives insight into the world of the business of sports and his own life. Proceeds of the book sales go to Young Life of Arizona, Phoenix Suns Charities and Arizona Diamondbacks Charities.
Colangelo grew up in the "Hungry Hill" neighborhood of Chicago Heights. His ties to "The Heights" and Bloom Township are evident in the Jerry Colangelo Gymnasium, dedicated in his honor November 10, 1996, and Colangelo Way, a street named after him. Currently under construction in Chicago is the Colangelo Center that will house the Italian-American Athletic Hall of Fame.
Colangelo and his wife, Joan, whom he met on a blind date while at the University of Illinois, have four children: Kathy Holcombe, Kristen Brubaker, Bryan, and Mandie Colangelo, and six granddaughters and four grandsons, all of Phoenix.
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Vincent Viola
Vincent Viola
Vice Chair
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Vincent Viola is the Senior Strategic Advisor of the New York Mercantile Exchange Inc. He was vice chairman of the Exchange from 1993 to 1996 and served on its board of directors from 1987 to 1990. He is also the principal of Pioneer Futures, Inc., which is a clearing member of both the New York Mercantile Exchange and the New York Board of Trade.
In addition to his business leadership, Mr. Viola was co-founder and chairman of the National Children's Educational Reform Foundation, which is dedicated to the fundamental reform and improvement of inner-city education with an emphasis on bilingual programs in immigrant communities. Mr. Viola has also served on the West Point Fund Committee, an arm of West Point's board of trustees that supports academy cadet programs.
Mr. Viola has received numerous awards for his philanthropy. In 1997, the Eden School for Autistic children gave him its Man of the Year award. In 1998, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations. In 2000, he was honored with the community service award from the Futures and Options for Kids charitable organization. The Jacqueline Hernandez Alzheimer's Day Care Center honored Mr. Viola for his charitable endeavors. Mr. Viola also received the Hamilton-Madison House Heritage Award at the organization's 100th birthday celebration, which paid tribute to the contributions of Italian immigrants.
A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Mr. Viola achieved the rank of major in the U.S. Army Reserves. In 1983, he graduated from New York Law School with a juris doctor degree. Viola is married with three children and resides in New Jersey.
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Salvatore J. Zizza
Salvatore Zizza
President
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SALVATORE J. ZIZZA, 62, is presently President of Zizza & Co. Ltd., a private holding company which invests in various industries. Chairman of BAM, which designs and manufactures high-temperature furnaces for sale and for its own use in the processing of specialty carbon, graphite and ceramic materials for semiconductor and aerospace applications. Chairman of Metropolitan Paper Recycling one of the largest independent recyclers in the New York area. Chairman of Bion Environmental Technologies, a publicly held company which has developed a technology platform that integrates ethanol production and renewable energy production and on-site utilization. Chairman of Bergen Cove Realty Inc., with substantial holdings in residential real estate.
Mr. Zizza bought NICO Construction Company, Inc. in 1978 and was President and CFO until 1985 when NICO merged with The LVI Group Inc. Prior to joining The LVI Group Inc., Mr. Zizza was an independent financial consultant and had been a lending officer of Chemical Bank. Mr. Zizza is also an investor in numerous private companies and real estate holdings.
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1978 - Present
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Zizza & Co., Ltd., President |
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1985 - 1997
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The LVI Group Inc., Chairman & CEO
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1978 - 1985
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NICO, Inc., President, COO and CFO, (the nation's largest interior construction firm, acquired by The LVI Group Inc. on 10/31/85).
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Education
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Baccalaureate/Political Science
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St. John's University
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1967
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Master of Business Administration
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St. John's University
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1972
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Doctor of Commercial Sciences (Honorary)
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St. John's University
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2007 |
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Directorships
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BAM INC, Chairman, (private)
Bion Environmental Technologies (NASDAQ)
Earl Scheib (NASDAQ)
Hollis Eden Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ)
GAMCO Gold Fund
GAMCO Growth Fund
GAMCO International Growth Fund
The Gabelli Asset Fund
The Gabelli Convertible Income & Securities Fund
The Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust (NYSE)
The Gabelli Equity Income Small Capital Growth Woodland
The Gabelli Equity Series Fund, Inc.
The Gabelli Equity Trust (NYSE)
The Gabelli Global Deal Fund
The Gabelli Global Growth, Global Opp, Global Tel & Global Cvt
The Gabelli Global Series Fund
The Gabelli Global Utility and Income Trust
The Gabelli Global Gold, Natural Resources & Income Trust
The Gabelli Healthcare & Wellness Fund
The Gabelli Multimedia Trust Inc. (NYSE)
The Gabelli Ned Davis Asset Allocation Fund
The Gabelli Utility Trust (NYSE)
The Gabelli Westwood Funds
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Memberships
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Real Estate Board of New York
The Columbus Club
National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), President |
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Personal Data
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Born in Italy; immigrated to the United States at age 10; attended New York City schools, three sons (Robert Carl, Gregory Thomas and Christopher John); avocations include skiing tennis and reading. |
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Joseph Del Raso
Joseph Del Raso
Executive V.P.
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Joseph Del Raso concentrates his practice in securities, with a special emphasis on matters arising under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the related Investment Advisors’ Act of 1940. This work encompasses the representation of investment advisors, mutual funds, closed-end investment companies, unit investment trusts, hedge funds, offshore funds, and publicly owned venture capital funds, usually organized as business development companies. Mr. Del Raso also advises Firm clients with regard to the development of new or innovative securities products that are impacted by the Investment Company Act and works very closely with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), state securities regulators, and federal and state banking regulatory authorities that are primarily responsible for the oversight of collectively managed investment vehicles. Mr. Del Raso has served as a court appointed receiver, at the request of the SEC, for the large operating company that was ultimately liquidated because of numerous violations of the federal securities laws perpetrated by prior management.
Mr. Del Raso also represents clients in the telecommunications, construction, and manufacturing businesses.
Mr. Del Raso is heading the Firm’s representation of the Republican National Committee with its Convention in Philadelphia in the year 2000, including assisting the RNC with contract negotiations and all related issues regarding the Convention.
Mr. Del Raso is a 1974 graduate of Villanova University School of Commerce and Finance. He also graduated from the Villanova University School of Law in 1983. Mr. Del Raso is a member of the Board of Consulters of the Villanova University School of Law and is the founding co-editor-in-chief of the Villanova Journal of Law and Investment Management. He lectures extensively in the area of investment company regulation, and has appeared several times in Europe as a lecturer or moderator of legal programs regarding the offshore development and marketing of investment company products. Mr. Del Raso is the author of "Securities Investment Partnerships," published by CPA Journal, September 1993.
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Salvatore Salibello
Salvatore M. Salibello
Treasurer
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Salvatore Salibello founded Salibello & Broder in 1978 and is the firm's managing partner. Sal brings more than 37 years of knowledge and professional experience in public accounting to each of his engagements. Prior to founding Salibello & Broder, Sal spent 11 years with Big Four accounting firms where he specialized in providing distinct services to various types of organizations, particularly small businesses and middle market companies in soft goods, distribution and retail.
Sal has overseen the growth of his firm approximately 100 professionals and administrative staff and the development of its offices in New York and Los Angeles. Under his leadership, the firm has become well positioned to provide services to a diverse range of domestic and international clients in a variety of industry classifications.
He has extensive experience in performing financial audits, due diligence reviews, organizational and operational assessments, and tax planning for many different types of corporations. His background includes acquisition reviews, internal audit engagements, re-engineering and developing repositioning strategies for problem companies, chairing of the equity committee in a major public company during bankruptcy reorganization, and assignments related to improving internal controls and systems. Sal has organized and participated in many economic, financial, and tax conferences.
Business Activities
Sal currently sits on the Board of Directors of three closed-end mutual funds and a publicly traded savings bank. He has also sat on the Board of Directors of the Nine West Group, Inc., Kasper, and the Lehigh Group, Inc., where he was Chairman of their respective audit committees.
His professional affiliations include memberships in the Institute of Internal Auditors, International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, the Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association, and the new York Venture Group, among others. He is also an active board member of several civic organizations.
Sal is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. He has obtained the status of Cavaliere from the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy and held several positions on the Board of Directors of the National Italian American Foundation. He received his undergraduate degree from St. Francis College and received a Master of Business Administration degree from Long Island University. Sal, his wife and two children reside in New York City.
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Nancy Chistolini
Nancy Chistolini
Secretary
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Prior to her recent retirement, Nancy Chistolini served as the Senior Vice President of Fashion and Public Relations for Hecht's and Strawbridge's, the largest division of May Department Stores. Hecht's and Strawbridge's operates 81 stores in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Tennessee.
In this capacity, she worked with the merchandise organization on fashion strategy and was responsible for the content of all fashion advertising. She also directed Hecht's and Strawbridge's Public Relations, Special Events and Communications departments.
She began her retailing career in 1969 at Woodward & Lothrop before joining Hecht's in 1982 as a Vice President. In 1995, she was named Senior Vice President of the Fashion, Special Events and Public Relations divisions.
Ms. Chistolini serves on several Boards and is an active volunteer in the Washington community. She is a member of:
The Board of Directors of St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home for abused and neglected children. The home also provides residential care and educational opportunities for pregnant teenagers.
Appointed Secretary of the Board of Directors for the National Italian American Foundation in March 2004. NIAF is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of an estimated 25 million Americans of Italian descent, the nation's fifth largest ethnic group.
Advisory Board Member of WEAVE, Women Empowered Against Violence. WEAVE empowers domestic violence victims to free themselves and their families from the vicious cycle of abuse through a combination of legal representation and case management.
Ms. Chistolini is a member of the Women's Leadership Committee for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington; a member of the executive committee of the Lombardi Gala, an annual event for the Lombardi Cancer Center and Georgetown University Medical Center and serves on the advisory board of The Washington Fashion Group.
In 2001, Nancy was named one of the 100 most powerful women in Washington by The Washingtonian Magazine.
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Louis J. Freeh
Louis J. Freeh
General Counsel
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Mr. Freeh has 26 years' government service. He served as an FBI Special Agent, in the U.S. Attorney's Office as Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief of the Organized Crime Unit, Deputy U.S. Attorney and Associate U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York. In 1991, President Bush appointed him to the Federal Bench for the Southern District of New York, and in 1993 President Clinton appointed him FBI Director where he served for eight years.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Rutgers University, Mr. Freeh also received a J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School and an LL.M. degree in criminal law from New York University Law School.
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James R. De Santis
James R. De Santis
National Executive Director
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James R. De Santis was appointed National Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of The National Italian American Foundation on November 1, 2008. Jim has been a nonprofit executive, marketing professional and fundraiser for more than 25 years in the fields of education, health care, the environment and corporate business development.
A graduate of Canisius College, Jim holds a masters degree from the State University at Buffalo, where he began his professional career in institutional advancement. He served as President of SUNYs 64-campus organization of development professionals and was recognized nationally for his work.
He left Buffalo when President Ronald Reagan appointed him to a senior executive position at the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission. Later he was appointed Vice President of the 5.1-million member National Wildlife Federation, where he was responsible for launching the organizations first national TV series on PBS.
He joined Earle Palmer Brown Advertising in Bethesda as Senior Vice President of its public relations division, where he served as counsel to many national nonprofit organizations and associations as well several prominent corporations.
In 1992 he was invited to assume the presidency of The Astronauts Memorial Foundation at the Kennedy Space Center. He was responsible for construction of a state-of-the-art educational facility and created the National Educational Technology Institute, which trained educators in the use of classroom technology. Jim was also responsible for the operation of the Congressionally-chartered memorial to the nations fallen astronauts, which attracted more then three-million annual visitors.
He went on to run a successful capital campaign at the Florida Institute of Technology, generating an endowment of more than $30-million and supporting construction of four major new buildings.
Most recently Jim was the executive director of the Florida Council on Economic Education, the organization responsible for economics and financial literacy program in the states 4,000 schools. He quadrupled student enrollment during the first year and revitalized the educational offerings of the Council.
Jim was selected as a charter member of the State University of New York Hall of Fame as one of the 50 most influential individuals in the advancement program of the university during its first 50 years. A member of the National Press Club, Jim is a accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and past president of the National Capital Chapter, the largest chapter in the U.S.
His grandparents came to the U.S. from Cosenza, Calabria and returned to their native Italy after establishing a number of businesses in this country.
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