Professions Profiles

This month we highlight the career of a very charismatic, highly respected and active Italian-American community leader: Ronald Oppedisano. A successful property appraiser, Oppedisano is also former elected official, revered and respected in that role, and a wonderful family man. He’s the former president (mayor) of the Village of Norridge, Illinois in Cook County – the small community his parents moved to in 1961 after leaving the 4300 block of West Adams Street in Chicago. Oppedisano began his public service career in 1991 as a member, and later chairman, of the Norridge Zoning Board of Appeals. He was appointed to …

When an individual is suggested for highlighting in this column, a letter is sent requesting background information, ancestral background and the like. From time to time, the subject will provide a narrative, and on occasion one so compelling, so touching, oftentimes familiar, that with slight editing we produce this column in the subject’s own words – such as this month. “My name is Joseph Garofalo and I’m going to tell you my story. My Mother, Lorraine (nee Aigner) Garofalo was born to Joseph and Myrtle Aigner. Myrtle was born in Sweden and immigrated to the USA in the early 1900s …

This month we highlight the career of a bright leading lawyer and community leader as he takes the helm as president of the DuPage County Justinian Lawyers’ Chapter – Joseph Glimco. A graduate of Benet Academy High School Graduate (1978), and St. Ambrose (1982), he earned his J.D. from Drake Law School (1985). He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1985 and operates the Law Offices of Joseph P. Glimco, III, P.C., located in Darien. Joe practices in the area of family law, which includes divorce, custody, child, adoptions, pre-marital agreements, and paternity. A trained family law mediator, he …

This month we introduce Michael V. Favia, a true leader and highly respected attorney. There is an old saw: When you want something done, give it to a busy person. In our ethnic and legal community as well as the community-at-large, that person is Michael. The principal and managing attorney for the law firm of Michael V. Favia and Associates, and counsel to the health care law firm of Goldberg Law Group, Michael is recognized for his extensive legal and administrative skills, which he uses to oversee and operate a most successful general civil practice firm. He also serves, very …

This month we highlight the distinguished career of Frank A. Citera, highly respected practitioner in a unique and complicated area of the law – products liability and mass torts. Frank Citera is co-chair of the Products Liability and Mass Torts Practice of the Chicago law firm of Greenberg Traurig. Frank received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University (1980) and his Juris Doctorate, cum laude from the University of Miami (1983). He is active in all the major bar associations, and is a member of the board of directors, by a university presidential appointment, of the Miami Law Alumni Association. To …

Every year, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, a highly respected daily newspaper for the Illinois legal community, accepts nominations for its prestigious 40 lawyers under the age of 40 recognition, and eery year, our community sees many of its younger attorneys recognized for their accomplishments. One of this year’s honorees is Karie J. Giganti Valentino. We highlight her career, adopting, in part, the article about her from the Law Bulletin. As an Ironman triathlete and an ultra marathon runner, Karie J. Giganti Valentino brings a unique level of energy and dedication to her practice. At Anderson, Rasor & Partners, LLP, …

This month we introduce the readers to Frank Sommario, the soon-to-be elected secretary of the Justinian Society of Lawyers, a 90-year-old ethnic bar association that stands as the third largest lawyers’ organization in the state of Illinois. As secretary, Frank will work his way through the chairs and become the society’s 97th president in 2017. This year’s president, Katherine (Amari) O’Dell, says of Frank, “He became secretary because over the years, as a member, he has shown talent, organizational skills and, most importantly, reliability. The Justinian officers that have preceded Frank have come to realize that when you want something …

This issue we highlight the prominent jurist, Justice Mary Seminara-Schostok, of the 19th Judicial Circuit. This Justinian was appointed an associate judge in 1998 and elected a full circuit in 2002. We pick this time to highlight her judicial career as she was recently sworn in as president of the statewide Illinois Judges Association, no small feat. The first of five children, Seminara-Schostok grew up in New Castle, Pa. Her father came to the United States from Italy and her mother was a second-generation Italian American. She attended Youngstown State University, the first in her family to graduate college. She …

This month we highlight the distinguished career of Carl Scianna, a 2011 Italian American Chamber of Commerce Achievement Award recipient. A recognized leader in his field of technology, and an internationally recognized innovator, Mr. Scianna, president and CEO of PolyBrite International, pioneered and patented the technology that serves as the cornerstone of PolyBrite’s product lines. PolyBrite provides LED lighting solutions designed to deliver energy reduction without sacrificing performance and light quality. With a strong commitment to minimizing environmental impact, PolyBrite manufactures patented indoor and outdoor commercial and residential lighting under its Borealis brand. The Borealis brand utilizes PolyBrite’s proprietary polymer …

I found out through a press release that Thomas Salvino was named a 2010 Five Star Wealth Manager by Chicago Magazine. Five Star wealth managers are an elite group representing less than 2 percent of the wealth managers in the Chicago area. Only 455 of the top-scoring wealth managers made the 2010 list. I thought I would drop Tom a note to see if I could highlight a distinguished career in the money management field in one of my monthly columns. This is how I find subjects for this effort. It didn’t take long to find out that Tom was …