Roberto Barbanente, a senior vice president and financial advisor at Morgan Stanley’s Chicago Wealth Management office, has been named to Forbes magazine’s America’s Top Next Generation Wealth Advisors since the list’s inception. Launched in 2017, the listing spotlights individuals born in 1980 or later who have at least four years of industry experience and either lead their teams or are viewed as potential leaders. The ranking is based on qualitative and quantitative data regarding revenue trends, compliance records, industry experience and best practices. Barbanente is the son  Vito Barbanente, owner of Pescatore in Franklin Park.  

Chicago-born filmmaker Giancarlo Iannotta’s “My Country” is a labor of love and symbol of pride for his Italian origins. A story of two brothers who meet as adults, the film is a lighthearted adventure with dramatic undertones, which deal with issues of abandonment and the lifetime repercussions it could bring when left unaddressed. As Lucky (Giancarlo Iannotta) cares for his dying father, a family secret is revealed. Once his father passes away, he boards a plane to Rome in search of the truth and finds his long lost brother, Francesco (Antonio Palumbo). Francesco’s initial reaction is to run the other …

Salvatore Sciacca was raised in the Chicago area, but he was immersed in the culture of Sicily throughout his childhood. His parents, Joseph and Mary, were born in the Sicilian town of Ciminna, and the family spent six weeks each summer on that storied isle. As he matured, Sciacca broadened his scope, signing up for four years of Italian language classes in college, taking trips every few years to Italy and joining several local groups for young Italian-American adults. In 2014, he took his devotion to his roots to the next level with the creation of Chicagoland Italian American Professionals. …

Chicago attorney Jim Morici knows the importance of a safe workplace and community. A founding partner in the law firm Morici, Longo & Associates, he has been fighting for the rights of injured workers and accident victims for more than three decades. The firm’s attorneys took swift action to put office safety protocols in place during the pandemic, but they saw an opportunity to do more. They’ve kicked into high gear on several charitable fronts, donating thousands of dollars to the Illinois Food Bank, Greater Chicago Food Depository and Maine Township Food Pantry, in addition to $10,000 to the American …

This year’s IA Literati seminar was held as a virtual gathering on June 13. The event was different from any of the previous 16 instalments, according to Professor Dominic Candeloro, curator of the Florence Roselli library in the Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia. “Authors could not gather in person due to COVID-19 so we were presented with the challenge of meeting electronically over Zoom. I must say that we all missed gathering together but we were able to expand the scope of the event beyond the Chicago area to across the country and to Italy, with more than 100 …

This fall, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is offering access its best free and premium content on demand and in high definition on CSOtv. Premiering Oct. 1, the CSO will release several new digital collections on its new online channel, including CSO Sessions, a series of chamber music performances with CSO musicians filmed on stage in Orchestra Hall. Also premiering on CSOtv will be archival CSO concerts, programs for children, jazz performances, piano recitals and more. Episodes go on sale Sept. 17, with paid programming starting at $15. To sign up, click, here.      

Businesses everywhere have been hit hard by the pandemic, with owners scrambling for creative ways to roll with the fiscal punches COVID-19 has thrown at them. Louis Imbrogno of Louis for Men has tackled the challenge head-on, keeping people stylishly safe while celebrating his heritage and paying a few bills. The Downers Grove men’s clothing store and tailor now includes handmade masks among its sartorial offerings. Suitable for both men and women, they come in white, black or Azzurri, all with red, white and green piping. (louisformen.com)  

Thirty-One Days of Italians has released its 2021 listing. The list provides a person of Italian heritage to learn about and celebrate for each day in October, Italian American Heritage Month. Thirty-One Days of Italians was established in 2006 by educator and researcher Janice Mancuso to promote the significant contributions that those of Italian heritage have made to America. The website features 74 names in total, with some appearing on the annual list each year and others rotating in and out. The first day in October honors the Italian immigrant and the last day is set aside to honor someone …

Local comic Nick Smeriglio completed the improv program at The Second City Training Center in March, right before the lockdown. When stay-at-home orders were issued, he and his younger brother and sister returned to their parents’ home in Arlington Heights, where they started experimenting with the app Tik Tok. “My sister was all about the Tik Tok dances, which the app is known for, but I noticed that there were a lot of comedians and impressionists doing their own thing as well,” Smeriglio says. “My family eventually convinced me to start posting impressions and skits similar to what we did at Second …

Ever since the pandemic set in, professionals around the world have given their time and talents to the ongoing battle against the coronavirus. For Peter Argondizzo, president of Argo Translations Inc., words are the weapon of choice. “We’ve translated a series of COVID-19-related safety posters, and we’ve made them available for free on the internet,” Argondizzo explains. “We’ve posted the CDC guidelines and related information on our website in 14 languages. Just choose a language, and we’ll ship you a PDF. Italian is one of the languages, of course!” (argotrans.com/covid-19)