Profiles

Daniel Pizzoferrato says that the first time he heard someone play the zampogna, it felt like he was listening to the sound of his ancestry. That moment 10 years ago prompted Pizzoferrato to embark on a journey to master the ancient Italian instrument, which he now showcases at Italian-American Christmastime celebrations in the Chicago area. He also occasionally plays with La Tosca Italian Mambo Ensemble, based in Chicago. So why was hearing the sound of the zampogna so touching for him that first time? “I grew up with a lot of music and people who played the Italian accordion, the …

Running a large, successful non-profit enterprise has its challenges, but Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization President Lou Scaramuzzo says his members make his job so much easier. “The membership is so cooperative and willing to do whatever it takes to help people,” Scaramuzzo says. “They are very giving people who do exceptional charitable work.” Scaramuzzo is on his second stint as president of CIACO, having previously led from 2007-14. A member of CIACO since 2003 and a board member since 2005, he has been with the group almost since its founding in 1998. One way to track the group’s growth …

An Italian-language instructor at the University of Illinois Chicago for more than 24 years, Maria Iusco is the creator of the school’s longest-running study abroad program, which has brought hundreds of students to Siena and Salerno in Italy. Speaking two or more languages is an asset that helps students become citizens of the world and opens more professional opportunities for them, she says. “This is what I build on in all my classes every single day,” Iusco says. “This is a gift that was given to me, and this is what I give to my students.” Born and raised in …

Now representing Italy on his sixth of seven continents, Chicago’s new consul general has been a part of several initiatives that have significantly impacted his country’s relationship with the rest of the world. Most of us have been in the proverbial right place at the right time at least once in our lives. Mario Bartoli, Italy’s new consul general in Chicago, has made a career of it. During nearly a quarter-century in the Italian diplomatic corps, Bartoli has played a role in easing tensions between North and South Korea, worked with local authorities to secure the release of two hostages …

An ammo bearer and then M-60 gunner for the Army, Paul LaFalce is still dealing with the psychic damage wrought during endless recon missions in the jungles of Vietnam. One of four children, Paul LaFalce was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, to Anthony and Maria Scrivani LaFalce. He grew up there surrounded by his extended family. LaFalce’s paternal grandparents emigrated from Calabria and his maternal grandparents from Abruzzo. LaFalce remembers many good cooks in his family. “Grandma LaFalce made the best meatballs and sauce,” he says. “And Grandma Scrivani made the best homemade cheese ravioli.” The LaFalce family, which included …

What do Yogi Berra, Joe Garagiola, Frank Crespi and Jim Pisoni have in common? The baseball legends have been immortalized on a mural in Cuggiono, Italy! All four were born between 1918 to 1929 on “The Hill,” the legendary Italian-American neighborhood in St. Louis, to parents who had emigrated from western Lombardy, where Cuggiono is located. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, thousands of residents of Cuggiono and nearby towns such as Inveruno, Malvaglio, Buscate and Arconate immigrated to the United States, with St. Louis being one of their primary destinations. The idea to honor the four baseball stars …

Italy’s first master chocolatier, Cecilia Rabassi is creating an oasis in the Tuscan countryside where people can savor and learn about “The Chocolate of Tomorrow.” “Creating chocolate is like a dance. Every movement must be perfect and perfection is achieved only by trying and trying again, with sacrifice, perseverance and passion.” That’s how Cecilia Tessieri Rabassi, the first female maître chocolatier in the world and the first person to earn the title in Italy, describes on her website the product she has carefully crafted for more than 30 years. Rabassi was appointed Cavaliere al merito della Repubblica Italiana (Knight of …

Vito D’Ambrosio jokingly says he is involved in “too many” civic organizations and volunteer efforts. The list is, in fact, astonishingly long. A resident of Westchester, in suburban Chicago, D’Ambrosio is the longtime president of the Italian American Executives of Transportation. He serves on the executive board of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and on the board of directors for the Columbian Club of Chicago. He is a member of the Fr. August Feccia Charitable Foundation, Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization, Italian American Police Association, Italian American Labor Council and Sons and Daughters of Italy in America. He …

Not everyone can say they found their calling in life. Evelyn Belmonte is among the lucky ones. For nearly three decades, Belmonte has worked for the village of Hillside as special events coordinator and administrative assistant to Mayor Joseph Tamburino. “Working for the mayor has been such an amazing experience, with new ideas all the time and meeting our residents. He challenges me every day, and it is never boring,” says Belmonte, who has lived in Hillside since 1962. The daughter of William and Marie Terese (Zaccardi) Innocenti, Belmonte grew up in Chicago with two very different sides to her …

Although it started almost accidentally, John Crivellone’s path to the Cook County Public Defender’s Office has resulted in a successful and fulfilling 16-year career as an investigator. “The best part of my job is the people and staff that I work with. The Cook County Public Defender’s administration goes out of their way to make sure that I have everything that I need to do my job to its fullest,” he says. “They go above and beyond what I have expected of any organization. Even if I am having issues in my personal life, they are there for me and …