Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Retired Army Col. Renato Bacci has been elected by the board of directors to helm the Italian American Veterans Museum.
Joining him as officers are retired Navy Commander Joseph Troiani as first vice president, retired Army Maj. Lorenzo Fiorentino as second vice president, Army veteran Mark DiSanto third vice president, Steve Corbo as treasurer, Eugene Giudice as parliamentarian and Paul Basile as corporate secretary and executive vice president. The officers were installed by community leader Joanne Spata.
During his 30-year military career, Bacci served as an infantry, armor, and civil affairs officer, with tours of duty in Bosnia, Croatia, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. He recently completed two three-year terms as state chair of the Illinois Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
Bacci joined the board in 2017 to honor his twin commitments to the American military and his Italian heritage. “I had spoken on Italian-American Medal of Honor recipients at a Veterans’ Day event some time ago and wanted to continue that emphasis in my life.” he says. “Italian Americans can trace their military history to the birth of our nation, and that’s something to be proud of.”
Spreading the word about the museum and expanding service to veterans of all backgrounds are among his priorities during his two-year term.
“We just staged a highly successful veterans benefits fair at the museum in collaboration with the Cook County Clerk’s office and we’re looking to build on that success,” he says.
To read profiles on all of the museum’s board members, click here.
