The Italian Cultural Center Vocal Scholarship began quietly in 1976 when Josephine LiPuma, an opera singer, music teacher and volunteer at the Italian Cultural Center, approached the Rev. August Feccia about starting a vocal competition under the name of the center. Ms. LiPuma wanted to start the scholarship as an encouragement to young students of opera. Fr. Feccia was in agreement that this would be a perfect event for the ICC. Two opera scholarships were offered to students of Italian Heritage and each year the scholarship honored a different Italian singer or composer. In 1987, Ms. LiPuma was terminally Ill …

The Grand Lodge of Illinois/Wisconsin, Order Sons of Italy in America, celebrated its 90th annual Columbus Banquet on Oct. 11 at Villa Brunetti in Franklin Park. Anna DeLuca, Columbus Banquet Chairwoman, welcomed the guests and introduced the Master of Ceremony for the evening, the Honorable Anthony Calderone, Mayor of Forest Park. Highlighting the evening were the presentations of the 2014 Humanitarian Award and the first-ever Columbus Patriot Award. In addition, the Illinois Sons of Italy Foundation awarded nine scholarships to Italian-American students who are continuing their education. Receiving the Humanitarian Award was Giovanni Bucci, an Italian-American artist best known for …

Frank Sgro, the legendary maître d’ at The Italian Village, will be retiring March 1 after 56 years spent working at the iconic restaurant. Sgro was only 16 years old in 1959 when he started working as a bus boy, working his way up to waiter and captain before earning the maître d’ position. With the exception of a stint in the Army from 1962 to 1964, has spent his entire professional career at The Italian Village restaurants. “I enjoyed every minute of it,” says Sgro. “I have worked for the greatest family in the business.” Over the years, Sgro …

REX CEO Dominic Sergi announced that REX Electric & Technologies LLC has formed a strategic alliance with Dairyland Electric Co. Inc., a premiere electrical contractor based in southeast Wisconsin. According to Sergi, the alliance is designed to help clients of both REX and Dairyland Electric realize better service and value for the electrical contracting and technology services provided by the two contractors. “We have seen growth in all of our markets and we want to provide our clients with the best solutions to their electrical contracting and systems integration needs,” Sergi says. He noted that REX is one of the …

by Ernie Grzeca “We Bake To Differ.” Not just a catchy slogan but also a real commitment by five generations of the Gonnella and Marcucci families. “At Gonnella Baking Co., we care about our product. It’s the quality. It’s the freshness. It’s the texture, the aroma and the crispiness. No detail is too small for our bakers not to fret over,” a company spokesperson says. “Our customers appreciate the combination of Old-World quality at a very competitive price.” That Old-World quality began in 1886 when Alessandro Gonnella came to the United States looking to fulfill the American Dream. He bought …

by Jim DiStasio, Joe Stella and Paul Basile Even though the Turano Baking Co. is one of the largest bread makers in the nation, its heart still beats with the warmth and generosity of a small family business. For the last half century, La Famiglia Turano has steadily built a world-class company firmly rooted in values that can be traced to its founder. Launched in a storefront shop in Chicago in 1962 by Mariano Turano, the company has blossomed under the stewardship of sons Renato, Tony and Giancarlo into a national powerhouse with more than 750 employees who create more …

The North American Transportation Employee Relations Association announced the appointment of local attorney Mark Spognardi as its new chairman. Spognardi is a partner at the Chicago branch of the Pautsch, Spognardi, & Baiocchi Legal Group, and has more than 30 years of experience in management-side labor and employment law. “I look forward to leading NATERA forward as we continue with our increased focus on giving superior value to NATERA’s membership. We believe that NATERA will continue to take a leading role in helping our member organizations tackle issues surrounding the changing regulatory landscape and workforce in trucking and transportation, including the critical need …

The FIAT 500 has been popping up everywhere lately, and it’s turning heads wherever it goes. As agile and sexy as it is economical and eco-friendly, it may be the perfect city car. And it has that inimitable sense of style that every Italian possesses and every American craves. “You can buy something cheap and small for $16,000, or you can buy something that has Italian heritage and style,” says Carmelo Scalzo, vice president of FIAT of Chicago. “With the FIAT 500, you get the best of all worlds. It’s affordable, it’s great on gas and it has that special …