Profiles

Stationed in Italy during the Vietnam War, Steven Decker had a remarkable vantage point on the 1968 crisis in Czechoslovakia as an air traffic controller at the U.S. Air Base in Aviano. The middle of three children, Steven Decker was born in Chicago to Roy and Kathryn Tomasello Decker, who were living near North Avenue and Larrabee. When Decker was 3 years old, they moved to Logan Square, where he grew up living close to his Sicilian-born grandparents and his mother’s five siblings and their families. On Sunday mornings, Decker awoke to the smell of sauce cooking in the kitchen. …

Local realtor Christopher DeSanto has stepped up to the presidency of the Calabresi in America Organization, continuing a legacy of leadership begun by his mother, Mary. DeSanto’s grandparents came to America from Castrolibero and Rende, Calabria. Both of his parents were members of CIAO from the club’s inception, and his mom was a perennial volunteer and longtime board member. “For the last decade or so, my mother and I served on the board together,” DeSanto says. “When I became vice president, she was so happy, and she knew the day would come when I would become president. The best feeling …

Lou Scaramuzzo has embarked upon his second term as president of the Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization, accepting the gavel from Bob Urbinati. A member of CIACO since 2003 and a board member since 2005, Scaramuzzo has served as secretary, second vice president and first vice president, in addition to his seven-year stint as president from 2007-14. “My good friend Tom Reboletti invited me to join the organization,” he explains. “I saw the good they were doing and the opportunity they offered to give back to the community and celebrate my Italian heritage. It was a perfect fit.” What Lou …

Frank T. Concialdi has been elected president of Il Comitato Beato Giovanni Liccio, a Chicago society named in honor of the patron of Caccamo, Sicily. The society has a chapel and clubhouse on Addison Avenue and celebrates its feast day in late July. Following in the footsteps of his uncle and cousins, Concialdi became a member of the society in 2005. His involvement has allowed him to connect with his parents’ hometown in Italy and the traditions they brought to America, as well as spend time with paesani of all generations. During his two-year term, Concialdi hopes to expand the …

Barely out of high school, Vincent Speranza fought nonstop across Europe from the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 until the Nazis surrendered in May 1945. One of eight children, Vincent Speranza was born in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in 1925 to Francesco and Francesca Paratori Speranza. Francesco immigrated from Palmi, Calabria, and Francesca from Sciacca, Sicily. When Speranza was 3 years old, they moved to Staten Island, where he grew up amid a large extended family. Every Sunday at noon, the family took turns hosting a traditional spaghetti dinner with all the trimmings. “A real Italian …

Passionate about auto racing since his go-kart days as a kid, Chip Ganassi has emerged as a dominant force on most of the sport’s major racetracks. After more than 30 years in car racing, Chip Ganassi boasts an impressive resume. The team he owns has won the Indianapolis 500, Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Rolex 24 at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 64-year-old is owner and CEO of Chip Ganassi Racing, which operates teams in the IndyCar Series, WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, FIA World Endurance Championship and Extreme-E off-road racing. The enterprise has corporate offices …

Vic Guerrieri will ascend to the presidency of the Columbian Club of Chicago at a black tie installation dinner on Jan. 28 at Medinah Country Club. For reservations, call Carmen Forte at 708-473-1591. Guerrieri signed on as a member in 2011. “I joined to support the Italian-American traditions that the club stands for,” he says. “I admire their focus on giving scholarships to help students achieve their educational goals.” Guerrieri rose through the ranks of the officers to the presidency, and has served as director as well as chairman of several fundraising events. “I feel very honored and humbled that …

Chicago crooner Tony Ocean started a daily internet talk show after the pandemic closed many of the area venues at which he performed. The program, “Ocean’s Pit,” was recently named Internet Show of the Year at the Josie Music Awards, a ceremony that celebrates the contributions of the independent music industry. “We’re thrilled with this honor,” Ocean says. “The show was our way of reaching out to people during a time when we couldn’t perform in person, and it continued to grow, even after things opened up.” “Ocean’s Pit” can be heard Monday through Friday on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram …

The Republic of France has promoted Chicagoan Dr. Carla Knorowski to the rank of officer in its National Order of Merit (L’Ordre National Du Mérite). The award was bestowed upon Knorowski by Yannick Tagand, French consul general of the Midwest in Chicago, in early October. Knorowski, who is of Italian descent on her mother’s side, distinguished herself in the wake of the catastrophic fire that swept through Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 2019. She organized a global virtual fundraising event that rallied the support of cellist and one-time Paris resident Yo-Yo Ma, actress Glenn Close, filmmaker Ken Burns and …

A standout wrestler in high school and now college, Carter Starocci success has been driven by his dauntless work ethic. There are competitive people — and then there is Carter Starocci. The 21-year-old junior at Pennsylvania State University is the reigning two-time NCAA champion wrestler in the 174-pound weight class. In October, he took home a bronze medal in the freestyle 79-kilogram category at the U-23 World Championships in Spain. Staroccci has his sights set on many more victories, including NCAA titles, a world championship and an Olympic gold. Then, he plans to embark on a career competing in the …