The Sicilian American Cultural Association presented attorney Umberto S. Davi with its Medal of Merit on Sept. 24 at Monastero’s Banquets in Chicago. Umberto S. Davi The Sicilian American Cultural Association is proud to present attorney Umberto S. Davi with its coveted Medal of Merit. Davi is a founding member of the Sicilian American Cultural Association, a lifetime member of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and a past president (1995) of the Justinian Society of Lawyers. He is proud to have served as the first immigrant president (2015-2016) of the 33,000-plus-member Illinois State Bar Association. For the first …

Dr. Corinne Benedetto has been named interim dean of DePaul University’s School for New Learning. Benedetto joined the School for New Learning in 1998, previously serving as associate dean for operations and enrollment management and as associate dean of undergraduate programs. Last academic year, she also served as a member of the Office of the Provost’s SNL & Adult Learning Task Force. “As a task force member, Corinne played a key role in developing pathways to address the ongoing evolution of adult higher education and how DePaul can continue to lead in this competitive field,” DePaul Provost Marten denBoer says. …

The Italian American One Voice Coalition placed “Saturday Night Live,” Executive Producer Lorne Michaels and the SNL writing staff in the One Voice Hall of Shame. The placement followed a blatantly anti-Italian comedy skit on a recent SNL. “The slurs used during this so-called comedy skit have not been heard on network TV in decades and should not be heard ever again on any broadcast medium — or anywhere,” said One Voice president Doctor Manny Alfano. “It baffles me as to how this skit was even included in the show and how Executive Producer Lorne Michaels allowed it to air!” …

It’s been a busy spring for State Rep. John D’Amico. As Fra Noi goes to press, the state representative is sponsoring House Bill 2647, which would require the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs to create several programs to better serve veterans with PTSD and other service-related mental illnesses. He is also sponsoring House Resolution 274, which asserts the Illinois House of Representatives’ opposition to efforts to cut Meals on Wheels, the Congregate Meals Program, and community block grants that provide funding for senior meal programs. He is sponsoring and voted to pass House Bill 2462, which would forbid employers from …

Local governments across Illinois are thanking Rep. Anthony DeLuca for helping advance a plan aimed at keeping critical revenue and budget decisions local. The Illinois Coalition of Local Governments hailed DeLuca, chairman of the House Cities and Villages Committee, for organizing a joint legislative hearing with the House Revenue and Finance Committee on House Bill 2717. The bill calls for municipalities around Illinois to be able to work with outside professional consultants to review their tax collections and identify areas for improvement. The bill would end actions by the Illinois Department of Revenue to prevent such hirings. In other news, …

The Justinian Society of Lawyers held its 15th annual Children’s Endowment Fund dinner at Lux Bar in Chicago. More than 60 Justinians were in attendance as the 2017 CEF recipients, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Reflections Foundation, each received a sizeable grant check for $3,625. The mission of the CEF is to assist disabled or disadvantaged children in our community. Since establishing the CEF in 2002 during his term as president, Romanucci & Blandin principal and partner Antonio Romanucci and the Justinian members have raised crucial funds for a wide range of recipients, including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Bear Necessities, …

Zerillo Realty Inc. has been selected for the 2017 Best of Park Ridge Award in the real estate brokerage category by the Park Ridge Award Program. Each year, the Park Ridge Award Program identifies companies that have achieved exceptional marketing success in their respective categories, and for enhancing the positive image of small businesses through service to their customers and community. Winners are determined based on information gathered internally by the program and data provided by third parties. Managing broker/owner Giuseppe Zerillo opened Zerillo Realty in 2014, only six years after earning his realtor’s license. Zerillo was honored by Top …

Sergio “Satch” Pecori, chairman and CEO of Hanson Professional Services Inc., has been named chairman of the American Council of Engineering Companies. Pecori, who served as chair-elect of ACEC this past year, accepted the post in April during ACEC’s annual convention in Washington, D.C. He will serve until April 2018. “ACEC represents the engineering industry on the legislative and business practice fronts,” Pecori says. “It is an honor to serve as chair.” ACEC has more than 600,000 members from 5,000 firms across the U.S. Hanson is an employee-owned consulting firm providing engineering, planning and allied services.

Lenny Rago of Panino’s Pizzeria took second place at the International Pizza Challenge held at the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas. More than 200 competitors from 10 different countries competed in five different categories: Napoletana, Gluten Free, Pan, Traditional and Non-Traditional. Rago took second in the Pan Division with the “Smoked Pan,” a pizza topped with homemade pork butt sausage, smoked mozzarella cheese, homemade pizza sauce, grated grana padano, crumbled apple wood smoked bacon, whole and skim milk shredded mozzarella, fresh green peppers, pesto mousse, smoked olive oil and fresh basil.

The Italian American Veterans Museum presented founder and Chairman Anthony Fornelli with a Lifetime Achievement Award at a testimonial dinner on June 8 at the Donald E. Stevens Convention Center in Rosemont. During a career that has spanned more than six decades, Fornelli has served at various levels of government; presided over half a dozen non-profits; raised or donated millions of dollars for charity; and earned nearly a dozen local, national and international honors. The son of Gennaro, who hailed from Naples, and Madelyn, who “hailed from Calabria by way of Des Moines, Iowa,” Tony grew up on Chicago’s West …